Controlled detonation synthesis of nano Fe-based oxides/SiO2 core-shell composite particles

Controlled detonation of emulsion Explosive and Hexogen (a kind of high explosive, for short, RDX) was performed to prepare Fe-based oxides/SiO2 nanoparticles. XRD (X-ray diffraction), TEM (Transmission electron microscope) and VSM (Vibrating sample magnetometer) experiments were performed to characterize and investigate the ingredients and phase structure of the granules, morphology, and distribution of the particles and the magnetism of the powders respectively. Results indicated that Fe/Urea complex detonation via emulsion explosives was advantageous to prepare Fe-based oxides/SiO2 core-shell powders, the inner FeO/Fe core was properly coated by a silica outer shell with the core size of around 50 nm and shell thickness of around 5–10 nm. And most of the raw detonation dust were converted into SiO2 coating Fe particles with the remained core-shell structure after proper thermal treatment. Raw powders obtained by RDX detonation presented weaker magnetism than that via emulsion explosives detonation, but which was substantially improved after thermal treatment.