Preparation and Characterization of Boron–Magnesium–Titanium Ternary Composite Powders

To improve the combustion performance of boron powder, a method was developed for synthesizing boron–magnesium–titanium (B-Mg-Ti) ternary composite powders with controlled metal content. Boron–magnesium (B-Mg) base materials were first prepared via electrical explosion, followed by the incorporation of titanium powder at varying mass fractions (1 wt.%, 3 wt.%, 5 wt.%, and 7 wt.%) through mechanical ball milling. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) revealed that the addition of titanium promoted a more uniform dispersion of magnesium within the boron agglomerates. Moreover, nanoscale titanium particles were observed to be embedded on the particle surfaces, confirming successful microscale composite formation. Particle size distribution was measured using a Malvern 3000 laser particle size analyzer, and results showed that the particle size of the ternary composites decreased gradually with increasing titanium content. Specific surface area was determined via the Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) method, with all samples exhibiting values greater than 15 m²/g, indicating good surface reactivity. Furthermore, the rheological behavior of the B-Mg-Ti composite powders, when combined with terminal hydroxyl polybutadiene (HTPB)—a typical binder in solid propellants—was evaluated. Viscosity measurements were conducted using a rotational rheometer at constant temperatures of 20 °C and 70 °C. The results demonstrated a marked decrease in viscosity with increasing titanium content, suggesting that titanium incorporation enhances the flowability of the composite powders. This study systematically evaluated the influence of titanium content on the structural and physicochemical properties of B-Mg-Ti composite powders, thereby providing a valuable experimental foundation for the optimized design of boron-based combustion systems and the enhancement of their processing and application performance.