Aluminum-oxygen reaction is important in many highly energetic, high pressuregenerating systems. Recent experiments with nanostructured thermites suggestthat oxidation of aluminum nanoparticles occurs in a few microseconds. Suchrapid reaction cannot be explained by a conventional diffusion-based mechanism.We present a rapid oxidation model of a spherical aluminum nanoparticle, usingCabrera-Mott moving boundary mechanism, and taking self-heating into account.In our model, electric potential solves the nonlinear Poisson equation. Incontrast with the Coulomb potential, a "double-layer" type solution for thepotential and self-heating leads to enhanced oxidation rates. At maximalreaction temperature of 2000 C, our model predicts overall oxidation time scalein microseconds range, in agreement with experimental evidence.
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