Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, Air Force Research Lab, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio 45433, USA.
711th Human Performance Wing, Air Force Research Lab, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio 45433, USA.
Nat Commun. 2017 Apr 27;8:15156. doi: 10.1038/ncomms15156.
Energetic liquids function mainly as fuels due to low energy densities and slow combustion kinetics. Consequently, these properties can be significantly increased through the addition of metal nanomaterials such as aluminium. Unfortunately, nanoparticle additives are restricted to low mass fractions in liquids because of increased viscosities and severe particle agglomeration. Nanoscale protein ionic liquids represent multifunctional solvent systems that are well suited to overcoming low mass fractions of nanoparticles, producing stable nanoparticle dispersions and simultaneously offering a source of oxidizing agents for combustion of reactive nanomaterials. Here, we use iron oxide-loaded ferritin proteins to create a stable and highly energetic liquid composed of aluminium nanoparticles and ferritin proteins for printing and forming 3D shapes and structures. In total, this bioenergetic liquid exhibits increased energy output and performance, enhanced dispersion and oxidation stability, lower activation temperatures, and greater processability and functionality.
含能液体主要用作燃料，因为其能量密度低且燃烧动力学缓慢。因此，可以通过添加金属纳米材料（如铝）来显著提高这些性能。不幸的是，由于粘度增加和严重的颗粒团聚，纳米颗粒添加剂在液体中的质量分数受到限制。纳米级蛋白质离子液体代表多功能溶剂体系，非常适合克服纳米颗粒的低质量分数，产生稳定的纳米颗粒分散体，同时为反应性纳米材料的燃烧提供氧化剂来源。在这里，我们使用负载氧化铁的铁蛋白来创建一种由铝纳米颗粒和铁蛋白组成的稳定且高能量的液体，用于打印和形成 3D 形状和结构。总的来说，这种生物能量液体表现出更高的能量输出和性能、更好的分散性和氧化稳定性、更低的活化温度以及更好的加工性和功能性。
