# Laser Ignition of Potassium Picrate with Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotube Additives

## TL;DR

This paper shows that adding carbon nanotubes to potassium picrate significantly reduces the time it takes to ignite using a laser.

## Contribution

The novel contribution is demonstrating how multi-walled carbon nanotubes can enhance the laser ignition efficiency of potassium picrate.

## Key findings

- Doped potassium picrate ignites faster than undoped material, with delay times dropping from 28.8 ms to 4.5 ms.
- Higher multi-walled carbon nanotube content reduces both ignition delay time and required ignition power.
- Carbon nanotubes homogeneously coat potassium picrate surfaces and some crystals form inside the nanotubes.

## Abstract

Experimental investigations of the diode-laser-induced ignition of potassium picrate (KP) with a multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWNT) additive are presented in this article. KP/MWNT composites with varying contents were prepared directly by adding different quantities of MWNTs to a KP solution after the last synthesis step. Due to capillary action, the MWNTs homogeneously coated the surface of the KP, and some KP crystallized inside the MWNTs. The samples were characterized by scanning and transmission electron microscopy, differential thermal analysis, and laser ignition tests. At a constant laser power density, the doped KP showed a much shorter ignition delay time than the undoped KP (from 28.8 ms to 4.5 ms). Therefore, the higher the dopant MWNT ratio is, the shorter the ignition delay time is. Additionally, the more MWNTs are used to dope KP, the lower the required ignition power is.