A comparative study on the modulation of Al/Co₃O₄ nanocomposites energy release by V₄C₃ MXene and PVDF

AbstractFluoropolymers are effective binders and modifiers in Al-based metastable intermolecular composites (MIC) due to their high reactivity and heat release. Recently, two-dimensional functional MXenes offer a distinct modulation pathway in energetic materials which remains unexplored. In this study, we investigated the energy release performance of Al/Co₃O₄ MICs with modifier of MXene V₄C₃ and the conventional fluoropolymer polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) as comparison. The Al/Co₃O₄/V₄C₃ and Al/Co₃O₄/PVDF composites with varying PVDF/V₄C₃ contents were prepared and evaluated through thermal analysis, closed-bomb pressure tests, high-speed flame observation, and condensed combustion residue analysis. PVDF promotes pre-ignition via in-situ gas evolution, significantly increasing pressurization rates (up to 4.91 MPa/s), whereas V₄C₃ enhances thermal stability, shifting the ignition onset temperature from 466.9 °C to 551.7 °C with 70% higher pressurization rate. Both additives convert an uncontrolled explosion into sustained, stabilized combustion with longer flame duration and reduced particle agglomeration. Based on a comparative analysis of the underlying mechanisms by which PVDF and V₄C₃ modulate the properties of Al/Co₃O₄ composites, this work provides new design insights for developing advanced Al-based MIC with tailored performance. © 2026 China Ordnance Society. Publishing services by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of KeAi Communications Co. Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC license. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/