| Abstract Scope |
Metal ignition and combustion in high-pressure oxygen environments remain critical challenges in propulsion, energy, and industrial gas systems. While oxygen compatibility is often treated as a thermal materials problem, many ignition events are mechanically initiated through sliding, impact, fracture, or wear processes that disrupt protective oxide scales and expose reactive metal surfaces. This talk will examine the mechanochemistry of metal fires in high-pressure oxygen, emphasizing how deformation, frictional heating, oxide tribolayer evolution, and exothermic oxidation couple to produce localized thermal runaway. Recent experiments and models will be discussed to show how ignition resistance depends not only on alloy composition or flash temperature, but also on the stability, failure, and chemical evolution of metal–oxide surface layers. This mechanochemical framework provides a basis for designing ignition-resistant alloys, coatings, and surfaces for extreme oxidizing environments. |