Reactivity of W–PTFE Powder Mixtures with Energy Additives

The combustion and ignition behaviors of W–PTFE powder mixtures, incorporating both tungsten micro- and nanoparticles along with high-energy additives, such as Ti, Ni + Al, Ti + 2B, and TiH2, were examined. Through thermodynamic and experimental analysis, it was determined that mixtures containing tungsten nanoparticles (nW) achieve 50–60% faster ignition and up to fivefold higher burning velocities compared to those with microparticles (μW), primarily due to an enlarged contact surface area. Among the additives, Ni + Al in nW–PTFE led to the highest synthesis completeness (50–65%), whereas 10 wt % Ti significantly boosted both the combustion temperature (reaching 2000°C) and burning velocity (up to 2.8 mm/s). Specifically, the nW + PTFE + 5 wt % (Ni + Al) and nW + PTFE + 10 wt % Ti mixtures demonstrated exceptional overall performance in terms of synthesis completeness, burning velocity, and combustion temperature, positioning them as compelling reactive material candidates. These results emphasize the crucial role of high-energy additives and particle size in controlling reaction mechanisms and achieving desired energetic characteristics.