Effect of resonant acoustic powder mixing on delay time of W–KClO4–BaCrO4 mixtures

This study investigates the impact of resonant acoustic powder mixing on the delay time of the W–KClO4–BaCrO4 (WKB) mixture and its potential implications for powder and material synthesis. Through thermal analysis, an inverse linear relationship was found between thermal conductivity and delay time, allowing us to use thermal conductivity as a reliable proxy for delay time. By comparing the thermal conductivity of WKB mixtures mixed manually and using an acoustic powder mixer, we found that acoustic powder mixing resulted in minimal deviations in thermal conductivity, proving more uniform mixing. Furthermore, differential scanning calorimeter analysis and Sestak–Berggren modeling demonstrated consistent reaction dynamics with a constant activation energy as the reaction progressed in samples mixed using acoustic waves. These findings underscore the critical role of uniform powder mixing in enhancing the thermodynamic quality of the WKB mixture and emphasize the importance of developing novel methods for powder and material synthesis.