Facile preparation of Si/CuO energetic materials by electrophoretic deposition and their exothermic studies

Silicon (Si) with a thinner oxide layer than aluminum (Al) has attracted considerable interest in the fields of energetic materials. Herein, we report novel Si/CuO energetic materials fabricated by electrophoretic deposition methods. Electrophoretic deposition dynamics and exothermic behaviors of Si/CuO energetic materials were systematically analyzed in this study. Besides, chemical compositions and morphologies of samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy, respectively. The results demonstrate clearly that Si/CuO energetic materials can be employed as a secure energetic composite because of its high ignition temperature and low combustion rate. The insights obtained in this work provide inspiration for the investigation and development of Si-based energetic materials.