Specific features of the reaction between ultrafine aluminum and water in a combustion regime

The combustion of mixtures of an ultrafine electroexplosive aluminum powder with water thickened by a 3% polyacrylamide additive is investigated. The reaction in a combustion regime is accompanied by the formation of a superheated foamy layer in gel-like water. The incompleteness of aluminum burnout in a stoichiometric mixture, which is explained by boiling-out of water from the reaction zone, is shown. The maximum combustion temperatures are determined in various conditions by means of thermocouple measurements and combustion-product composition calculations. The possibility of producing ultrafine or monolithic corundum as a reaction product is shown.