Time-resolved chemically-selective spectroscopic investigation of the redox reaction between hematite and aluminium.

ABSTRACT: Thermite reactions -highly energetic redox processes between a metal and an oxide-are used in welding, propulsion, and the fabrication of advanced materials. When reduced to the nanoscale, these reactions exhibit enhanced energetic performance, but their ultrafast dynamics remain poorly understood. Gaining insight into charge transfer during these processes is essential for advancing applications in energy conversion and materials design. Here we show that the reaction between aluminium and hematite, a common iron oxide, can be tracked with femtosecond resolution using extreme ultraviolet (EUV) time-resolved absorption spectroscopy at the Fe M_2,3 and Al L_2,3 edges. By exciting the system with an ultrashort optical pulse and probing element-specific absorption changes,

SUBMITTER: Paltanin E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12332039 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature