Novel (MnO 2 /Al) thermite colloid: an opportunity for energetic systems with enhanced performance Sherif Elbasuney 1,2, *, Gharieb S. El-Sayyad 2,3, * , M. Yehia 2 , M. Gaber Zaky 2 , and M. Abd Elkodous 4,5 1 Head of Nanotechnology Research Centre, Military Technical College(MTC), Egyptian Armed Forces, Kobry Elkoba, Cairo, Egypt 2 School of Chemical Engineering, Military Technical College (MTC), Egyptian Armed Forces, Kobry Elkoba, Cairo, Egypt 3 Drug Radiation Research Department, National Center for Radiation Research and Technology (NCRRT), Egyptian Atomic Energy Authority (EAEA), Cairo, Egypt 4 Department of Electrical and Electronic Information Engineering, Toyohashi University of Technology, Toyohashi, Aichi 441-8580, Japan 5 Center for Nanotechnology (CNT), School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Nile University, Sheikh Zayed, Giza 16453, Egypt Received: 13 June 2020 Accepted: 12 October 2020 Ó Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2020 ABSTRACT The current study highlights a sustainable fabrication of nanoscopic thermite (MnO 2 /Al) system, composed of MnO 2 nanoparticles with an average particle size of about 20.8 nm prepared by a hydrothermal processing technique. In addition, it contains aluminium particles having a combustion heat of 32,000 J/g, which is very attractive for advanced energetic systems. Plate-like aluminium nanoparticles with an average particle size of 100 nm were developed by wet milling. Our results revealed aluminium optimum solid loading in tri-nitrotoulene (TNT), which was found to be 8.0 wt%. At this optimum solid loading level, aluminium nanoparticles increased the destructive effect of TNT by 25.0%. While, stoichiometric colloidal mixture of both MnO 2 and Al nanoparticles exhibited a 65.0% increase in the destructive effect of TNT. Our work presents an intimate mixing between nano- thermite particles, where particle size and inter-particles’ distance are at the nanoscale. To sum up, TNT detonation wave was supported with one of the most potent thermite reactions occurring with maximum rate. 1 Introduction Basically, the heat output of common explosives is limited to combustion of hydrocarbon elements (C, H) [1–3]. Reactive metal particles, with high combustion enthalpies, can boost the heat output of common explosive materials [3–5]. Even though, tri- nitrotoluene (TNT) is a universal explosive material in terms of cost, stability, availability, applications. TNT can be melted at 80 °C and mixed with other explosive materials for filling all types of ammunition Address correspondence to E-mail: s.elbasuney@mtc.edu.eg; sherif_basuney2000@yahoo.com; adham_adham699@yahoo.com; Gharieb.Elsayyad@eaea.org.eg https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-020-04653-4 J Mater Sci: Mater Electron