Facilitating laser ignition and combustion of boron with a mixture of graphene oxide and graphite fluoride

Boron (B), with high energy density and low cost, is regarded as a promising fuel for energetic applications such as propellants. However, achieving efficient combustion of B is challenging due to its delayed ignition and slow combustion. Additives are needed to promote the ignition and combustion of B particles by providing heat, gases, and/or fluorine-containing species. In this study, we demonstrated that a mixture of graphene oxide (GO) and graphite fluoride (GtF) is a new and effective additive for B particles. We compared the energetic performance of B/GO/GtF mixtures with B/GO, B/GtF, and B/PTFE in a laser ignition experiment. B/GO/GtF has the shortest ignition delay time, longest burning duration, and strongest BO₂ emission among all four samples. This enhancement is caused by the synergistic properties of GO and GtF, which releases heat, gases, and fluorocarbon radicals to facilitate B ignition and combustion. Our study suggests that the mixture of functionalized graphene and graphite materials can be a new class of promising additive for metal combustion and other energetic materials.