Effect of mechanical activation on the combustion of systems with brittle components (using Mn–Si as an example)

It has been shown experimentally that mechanical activation of a mixture of brittle dissimilar powders of manganese and silicon extends the concentration range of combustion, increases the burning rate and maximal temperature, decreases the initial temperature of combustion imitation, and leads to transition from oscillating combustion to steady-state combustion. These combustion features are related to agglomerate formation in the mixture of brittle powders; the agglomerates are regions of more solid silicon coated with a manganese layer with a distinct boundary between the components and a change in the heterogeneity scale.