H. Beigi Nasrabadi - Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, P.O. Box ۹۱۷۷۵-۱۱۱۱, Mashhad, Iran
M. zarei - Sharif University of Technology, P.O. Box ۱۱۳۶۵-۹۴۶۶, Tehran, Iran
B. Shahabi Kargar - Noah Research Center, Mashhad, Iran
S.A Sajjadi

Aluminum powders are mainly used as energetic additives for propellants. However, particle agglomeration, formation of protective oxide layers on the aluminum particles and high ignition delay time and low ignition velocity of particles, in particular when nano particles are used, lead to incomplete burning of Al particles and subsequently decreasing the propellant efficiency. In this study in order to improve combustion behavior of aluminum particles, nanometric nickel shell coated on the surface of aluminum nanoparticles. Fabrication of such A/Ni core- shell nano structures by electroless nickel deposition (EN) investigated and high efficiency EN process modeled using Artificial Neural Network (ANN) media. Based on presented model it is possible to design an EN bath with the maximum plating rate, while minimum materials are used and maximum efficiency of process are appeared. These samples charactrizated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The results shows, Ni particles were deposited on the surface of aluminum nano particles and form a thin and uniform nickel shell within about 10nm thickness around aluminum cores.

aluminum nano particles; Electroless nickel (EN) deposition; Artificial neural networks (ANN)