Nanotechnology experiments could lead to more spectacular firework displays

Recent experiments to create a fast-reacting explosive by concocting it at the nanoscopic level could result in more spectacular firework displays. But more impressive to the Missouri University of Science and Technology professor who led the research, the method used to mix chemicals at that tiny scale could lead to new strong porous materials for high temperature applications, from thermal insulation in jet engines to industrial chemical reactors.

Researchers led by Dr. Nicholas Leventis, a professor of chemistry at Missouri S&T, reported in the April 8 issue of the Journal of the American Chemical Society that they created a new type of flammable nanomaterial by combining an oxidizer (copper oxide) with an organic fuel (a resorcinol-formaldehyde polymer, or RF). Nanomaterials are made from substances that are one billionth of a meter - the size of a few molecules. This achievement has been highlighted in the online edition of Nature Chemistry. Click here for the full read.