A three-dimensional energetic coordination compound (BLG-1) with excellent initiating ability for lead-free primary explosives.

Exploration of advanced lead-free primary explosives is a challenging issue in the field of energetic materials. Herein, we designed and synthesized a novel N-rich copper bromate energetic coordination compound (ECC) [Cu(ATRZ)(BrO3)2]n (BLG-1, ATRZ: 4,4'-azo-1,2,4-triazole) by a simple one-step reaction. BLG-1 is the first reported three-dimensional (3D) N-rich copper bromate ECC. Its interesting 3D reticular architecture contributed to its highest thermal decomposition temperature (Td: 226 °C) and crystal density (ρ: 2.69 g cm-3) among N-rich copper bromate ECCs. More importantly, a primary charge of BLG-1 as little as 3 mg could reliably detonate compressed RDX, and 1 mg could detonate CL-20. These incredible values indicated that BLG-1 had an ultra-powerful initiating ability far superior to that of previously reported primary explosives. BLG-1 had improved mechanical sensitivities (IS: 13 J; FS: 1 N) and electrostatic sensitivity (EDS: 240 mJ) compared with those of the typical lead-based primary explosive, lead azide (IS: 4J; FS: 0.75N; EDS: 5 mJ). In particular, BLG-1 had a low laser-initiation threshold of 13 mJ at 808 nm, suggesting that it could serve as a laser-ignitable primary explosive. This work suggests that BLG-1 is a promising candidate with engreat practical application prospects for lead-free primary explosives.

Cupric coordination compounds with multiple anions: a promising strategy for the regulation of energetic materials.

To seek new high energetic materials, N-methylene-C-bridged nitrogen-rich heterocycle 1-((4,5-diamino-4H-1,2,4-triazol-3-yl)methyl)-1H-1,2,4-triazol-3,5-diamine (DATMTDA) (2) was first synthesized, and two copper coordination compounds ([Cu12(OH)4(ClO4)4(H2O)4(DATMTDA)12](ClO4)16·12H2O (3) and [Cu3(OH)(ClO4)(DATMTDA)3](ClO4)3(NO3) (4)) based on 2 were formed by introducing different anions. These compounds were characterized by elemental analysis, IR spectroscopy and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The crystal structures of compounds 3 and 4 are similar and crystallize in monoclinic systems with the P21/c space group, while the central copper atoms show different coordination behaviors. However, the structure of compounds 3 and 4 is analogous to a three dimensional structure owing to the O atom of OH-, forming coordinate bonds with three copper cations. The NBO charge of 2 was calculated using density functional theory to understand its coordination modes. The Hirshfeld surface calculation reveals that 3 and 4 have strong intermolecular interactions. The thermal decomposition processes, non-isothermal kinetics, and enthalpies of formation and sensitivities of these compounds were investigated. By introducing one NO3- of compound 4 to replace one ClO4- in compound 3, compound 4 shows lower density and lower decomposition peak temperature but lower sensitivity and a higher formation enthalpy than compound 3. The complex 4 possesses an outstanding catalytic effect for the decomposition of AP than that of complex 3. The results illustrate the possibility of introducing various anions into energetic coordination compounds for the regulation of energetic materials.

A Highly Effective Liquid-Solid Reaction for In Situ Preparation of Copper Azide.

Copper azide (CA) is a promising energetic material with characteristics of high energy output and environmental friendliness that can be used as a microinitiator charge, but the extreme sensitivities hinder its practical applications. In situ preparation of CA can avoiding operating on sensitive CA directly and depressed the risk of handling. However, it is still a challenge to develop a straightforward, high-efficiency in situ preparation method. Consequently, a simple and rapid liquid-solid reaction strategy for azidation has been proposed via the in situ transformation of Cu(OH)2 into CA in a hydrazoic acid aqueous solution. In situ preparation of CA on a Cu film was performed to demonstrate the application of this strategy in detail. The transformation was completed in 4 min, which significantly improved the efficiency for production of CA compared to previously reported methods. This work provides a facile and highly efficient method for the in situ preparation of CA.

Energetic Bimetallic MOF: A Promising Promoter for Ionic Liquid Hypergolic Ignition.

A bimetallic MOF, CoNi(EIM)2(DCA)2 (1), containing an energetic 1-ethylimidazole (EIM) ligand and a hypergolic linker, dicyandiamide (DCA), was synthesized via a facile method. A fascinating three-dimensional reticular architecture was observed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction in this bimetallic MOF, whereas the corresponding monometallic compounds Co(EIM)4(DCA)2 (2) and Ni(EIM)4(DCA)2 (3) were in the mononuclear coordination mode. Uniformly distributed Co and Ni were observed in the bimetallic MOF crystals by SEM-EDS elemental mapping. Bimetallic MOF 1 was thermally stable and insensitive to mechanical stimuli and possessed an excellent energetic density (22.37 kJ·g-1). Using 1 as a hypergolic promoter, the ignition delay time of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium dicyanamide (BMIM DCA) was reduced from 53 to 37 ms, better than that of 2 and 3 as promoters, due to the synergistic catalysis of the bimetal. Furthermore, the thermal decomposition mechanisms of BMIM DCA with 1, 2, and 3 were studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). 1 had the best catalytic performance in BMIM DCA thermolysis with a decrease in the decomposition temperature from 314.5 to 308.0 °C and a decrease in the activation energy by 16.3%. All results shed light on the better catalytic effect of the bimetallic MOF on ionic liquid hypergolic ignition than monometallic coordination compounds.

Exoergic pathways triggered by O/H radicals in different metallic carbohydrazide perchlorates (M2+ = Mn2+, Fe2+, Co2+, Ni2+, Zn2+ and Cd2+).

Metallic carbohydrazide perchlorates (M[(N2H3)2C = O](ClO4)2, M2+ = Mn2+, Fe2+, Co2+, Ni2+, Zn2+ and Cd2+, simplified as MCPs) are a series of energetic primary explosives, among which ZnCP and CdCP are already applied in civilian/military fields. The six MCPs possess similar structures but demonstrate different energetic performances in their decomposition, which are obviously determined by their different central metals. Here, we apply DFT and Car-Parrinello molecular dynamics (CPMD) to understand the electronic structures and decomposition pathways of the MCPs. Based on the results, the crystal MCPs with larger electronic band gaps show lower impact sensitivity. However, the friction sensitivity of MCPs is dominated by the strength of their intermolecular O⋯H interactions. In the CPMD simulations, we obtained a different conclusion from the traditional viewpoint, where the decomposition is spontaneous from the cleavage of M-N bonds. Indeed, there are two stages in the decomposition of the MCPs, based on our calculations: (I) nonspontaneous 3-step departure of the CHZ groups and (II) spontaneous exoergic decomposition pathways of the CHZ groups triggered by the transfer of O/H radicals. Our study provides a systematic study of the MCP family, which also affords a new route for understanding the relationship between the energetic properties and electronic structures of energetic metal complexes.

Determination of detonation characteristics by laser-induced plasma spectra and micro-explosion dynamics.

Determination of macroscale detonation parameters of energetic materials (EMs) in a safe and rapid way is highly desirable. However, traditional experimental methods suffer from tedious operation, safety hazards and high cost. Herein, we present a micro-scale approach for high-precision diagnosis of explosion parameters based on radiation spectra and dynamic analysis during the interaction between laser and EMs. The intrinsic natures of micro-explosion dynamics covering nanosecond to millisecond and chemical reactions in laser-induced plasma are revealed, which reveal a tight correlation between micro-detonation and macroscopic detonation based on laser-induced plasma spectra and dynamics combined with statistic ways. As hundreds to thousands of laser pulses ablate on seven typical tetrazole-based high-nitrogen compounds and ten single-compound explosives, macroscale detonation performance can be well estimated with a high-speed and high-accuracy way. Thereby, the detonation pressure and enthalpies of formation can be quantitatively determined by the laser ablation processes for the first time to our knowledge. These results enable us to diagnose the performance of EMs in macroscale domain from microscale domain with small-dose, low-cost and multiple parameters.

High-Energy Metal-Organic Frameworks with a Dicyanamide Linker for Hypergolic Fuels.

In this study, a hypergolic linker (dicyanamide, DCA) and a high-energy nitrogen-rich ligand (1,5-diaminotetrazole, DAT) were applied to construct high-energy metal-organic frameworks (HEMOFs) with hypergolic property. Three novel metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) were synthesized via a mild method with fascinating 2D polymeric architectures, and they could ignite spontaneously upon contact with white fuming nitric acid (WFNA). The gravimetric energy densities of the three HEMOFs all exceeded 26.2 kJ·g-1. The cupric MOF exhibits the highest gravimetric and volumetric energy density of 27.5 kJ·g-1 and 51.3 kJ·cm-3, respectively. By adjusting the metal cations, high-energy ligands and hypergolic linkers can improve the performance of hypergolic MOFs. This work provides a strategy for manufacturing MOFs as potential high-energy hypergolic fuels.

Theoretical study of the reduction in sensitivity of copper azide following encapsulation in carbon nanotubes.

Research aimed at reducing the sensitivity of primary explosives with excellent ignition performance is of great significance for their practical application. In this work, we theoretically studied the effect of inserting the primary explosive copper azide (Cu(N3)2) into single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) on the sensitivity of the explosive to changes in hydrostatic pressure. The electronic structure of Cu(N3)2 was found to be more sensitive to external pressure than lead azide, which is consistent with their experimental impact sensitivities. A composite of Cu(N3)2 molecules and SWCNTs (Cu(N3)2/CNTs) was prepared in which the components mainly interacted electrostatically and the Cu(N3)2 molecules formed semi-arc structures along the nanotube walls, rather than exhibiting their usual planar structure. The electrostatic potential and electronic structure of the composite indicate that it is more stable than crystalline Cu(N3)2. Notably, combining the Cu(N3)2 with the SWCNTs reduces the sensitivity of the Cu(N3)2 to external pressure, implying that carbon nanotubes can reduce the sensitivity of Cu(N3)2. This work should aid the development of highly efficient green primary explosives.

Amorphous polymerization of nitrogen in compressed cupric azide.

Metal azides have attracted increasing attention as precursors for synthesizing polymeric nitrogen. In this article, we report the amorphous polymerization of nitrogen by compressing cupric azide. The ab initio molecular dynamics simulations show that crystalline cupric azide transforms into a disordered network composed of singly bonded nitrogen at a hydrostatic pressure of 40 GPa and room temperature. The transformation manifests the formation of a π delocalization along the disordered Cu-N network, thus resulting in a semiconductor-metal transition. The estimated heat of formation of the amorphous polymeric nitrogen system is comparable to conventional high-energy-density materials. The amorphization provides an alternative route to the polymerization of nitrogen under moderate conditions.

Pressure-induced phase transition of 1,5-diamino-1H-tetrazole (DAT) under high pressure.

Nitrogen-rich energetic materials have attracted certain interest as promising high energy density materials (HEDMs) in recent years. Pure N2 and nitrogen-based molecular crystals are ideal HEDMs that would polymerize under high pressure, as reported in previous literature. We selected a 1,5-diamino-1H-tetrazole (DAT) crystal, which has two kinds of molecular structures and hydrogen bonds, to study under high pressure by spectroscopy and diffraction due to its high nitrogen percentage and low sensitivities. Pressure-induced structure transitions occur at pressures of 2.3-6.6 GPa, ∼8.5 GPa, and ∼17.7 GPa. The phase transition at 2.3-6.6 GPa is related to the rotation of NH2, and the latter two transitions are caused by both the rotation of NH2 and the distortion of the heterocycle. Significantly, the reconstitution of the hydrogen bond may induce the rotation/distortion of the NH2/heterocycle in the second phase transition. There is no evidence showing a transformation between the two molecular structures in the whole pressure range studied. Our investigation uncovers the phase transition mechanism of DAT under pressure, which will help to find targeted HEDMs.

Trends of the macroscopic behaviors of energetic compounds: insights from first-principles calculations.

Understanding the structure-property relationships of energetic compounds is challenging. Herein, by including the experimental data, we systematically evaluated the microscopic characteristics of a series of transition metal carbohydrazide perchlorate (TMCP) complexes (MnCP, FeCP, CoCP, NiCP, ZnCP, and CdCP) by first-principles calculations. The calculated properties, i.e., lattice enthalpy, bulk modulus, and electronic structures, were correlated with their thermal decomposition temperatures and impact sensitivities, which indicated that the stability and sensitivity of the TMCP complexes were greatly changed through coordination with different metal ions. The trend was that a large lattice enthalpy indicated a better thermal stability. Complexes with a high impact sensitivity tended to have a smaller bulk modulus and pseudo-gap. The ultra-high impact sensitivity of FeCP may have been related to the unstable spin state with respect to the volume change in the lattice. The calculated bond order and bond dissociation energy did not fully reflect the impact and friction sensitivities in this study. In addition, the combination of crystal properties and local bond information may better describe the sensitivity trend for the TMCP energetic compounds. This analysis can be applied to other energetic compounds and may provide clues for the synthesis and assessment of novel energetic compounds.

Energetic Metal-Organic Frameworks Incorporating NH3OH+ for New High-Energy-Density Materials.

Energetic metal-organic frameworks (E-MOFs) have witnessed increasing development over the past several years. However, as a highly energetic cation, NH3OH+ has never been explored to construct transition-metal-based E-MOFs. Herein, we report the first examples of NH3OH+-containing E-MOFs with bis(tetrazole)methane (H2btm) as a ligand and copper and manganese as central metal ions, [(NH3OH)2(Cu(btm)2)]n and [(NH3OH)2(Mn(btm)2)]n. Crystal structure determinations reveal that both E-MOFs show two-dimensional layered structures. Experimental results suggest that they have high thermal decomposition temperatures (>200 °C). Among them, Cu-based E-MOFs possesses outstanding thermal stability (Tdec = 230.3 °C), which surpasses those of known NH3OH+-containing compounds. They also have high energy density; in particular, the Cu-based E-MOF affords a high heat of combustion (11447 kJ kg-1) and high heat of detonation (713.8 kJ mol-1) beyond the most powerful organic explosives in use today. Additionally, the two E-MOFs show completely different sensitivity properties: the Mn-based E-MOF is an insensitive high-energy-density material (IS > 40 J; FS > 360 N; EDS > 20 J), while the Cu-based E-MOF can be classified as a sensitive energetic material (IS = 13 J; FS = 216 N; EDS = 10.25 J), demonstrating their diverse applications in different fields. Our research proposes a unique class of high-energy-density materials.

Planar, Energetic, π-π-Stacked Compound with Weak Interactions Resulting in a High-Impact- and Low-Friction-Sensitive, Safer, Primary Explosive.

1,5-Diaminotetrazolecopper(I) nitrate ([Cu(DAT)3]NO3, CDN) was synthesized, and its structure was confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Owing to its layered planar structure and weak π interactions between layers, CDN has a high-impact sensitivity of 1.5 J and relatively low-friction sensitivity of 84 N. First-principles calculations confirm that the planar structure of CDN makes CDN slide easily without the formation of hot spots, and its weak π interactions cannot resist the deformation toward impact (Young modulus, 10.13 GPa). In addition, the experimental detonation velocity of CDN was measured to be 7600 m s-1. All of these properties indicate that CDN is a competitive candidate for a high-performance primary explosive that is safe for handling, suitably sensitive for initiation, and powerful enough to detonate secondary explosives.

A novel method to synthesize stable nitrogen-rich polynitrobenzenes with π-stacking for high-energy-density energetic materials.

Two nitrogen-rich energetic compounds with π-stacking, 1,1'-dichloro-2,2',3,3',6,6'-hexanitro-5,5'-dihydroxyazobenzene (1) and 8-(2,4,6-triazido-3,5-dinitrophenyl)-8H-[1,2,3]triazolo[4',5':5,6]benzo[1,2-c:3,4-c']bis([1,2,5]oxadiazole) 1,4-dioxide (2), were prepared by a novel synthesis method, and their structures were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The decomposition temperature of 1 is 336 °C and 2 exhibits excellent heat of formation of 1160.5 kJ mol-1 (2.21 kJ g-1). The condensation reaction of the coupling of a N[double bond, length as m-dash]N bond and an azido from 1 to 2 was proved to be an efficient method to synthesize benzotriazole. This synthetic strategy for benzotriazole may arouse considerable interest in the area of organic synthesis.

Infrared Thermography Approach for Effective Shielding Area of Field Smoke Based on Background Subtraction and Transmittance Interpolation.

Effective shielding area is a crucial indicator for the evaluation of the infrared smoke-obscuring effectiveness on the battlefield. The conventional methods for assessing the shielding area of the smoke screen are time-consuming and labor intensive, in addition to lacking precision. Therefore, an efficient and convincing technique for testing the effective shielding area of the smoke screen has great potential benefits in the smoke screen applications in the field trial. In this study, a thermal infrared sensor with a mid-wavelength infrared (MWIR) range of 3 to 5 μm was first used to capture the target scene images through clear as well as obscuring smoke, at regular intervals. The background subtraction in motion detection was then applied to obtain the contour of the smoke cloud at each frame. The smoke transmittance at each pixel within the smoke contour was interpolated based on the data that was collected from the image. Finally, the smoke effective shielding area was calculated, based on the accumulation of the effective shielding pixel points. One advantage of this approach is that it utilizes only one thermal infrared sensor without any other additional equipment in the field trial, which significantly contributes to the efficiency and its convenience. Experiments have been carried out to demonstrate that this approach can determine the effective shielding area of the field infrared smoke both practically and efficiently.

Carbonyl-bridged energetic materials: biomimetic synthesis, organic catalytic synthesis, and energetic performances.

In order to obtain high-performance energetic materials, in this work, carbonyl groups (C[double bond, length as m-dash]O) have been newly introduced as sole bridging groups in the field of energetic materials. To this end, two tailored green methods for the synthesis of carbonyl-bridged energetic compounds have been developed for the first time. One is a biomimetic synthesis, in which the conversion route of heme to biliverdin has been used to obtain metal-containing energetic compounds. The other one is an organocatalysis, in which guanidinium serves as an energetic catalyst to afford other energetic compounds. Experimental studies and theoretical calculations have shown that carbonyl-bridged energetic compounds exhibit excellent energetic properties, which is promising for the carbonyl group as a new important and effective linker in energetic materials.

Synthesis, structure and characterization of neutral coordination polymers of 5,5'-bistetrazole with copper(ii), zinc(ii) and cadmium(ii): a new route to reconcile oxygen balance and nitrogen content of high-energy MOFs.

Hydrothermal reactions of Cu(ii)/Zn(ii)/Cd(ii) with 5,5'-bistetrazole (H2BT) lead to three new energetic coordination polymers: [CuBT(H2O)]n (1), [ZnBT(H2O)2]n (2), and [CdBT(H2O)2]n (3). These crystal structures were determined by single X-ray diffraction. Compound 1 forms regular and compact 3-D frameworks and compounds 2-3 are 1-D chain structures. These compounds show prominent thermostability (Tdec = 349.1 °C for 1, 334.8 °C for 2, and 394.2 °C for 3) investigated by using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Sensitivities towards impact and friction were measured. Compound 1 is sensitive to both impact and friction (100% explosion under the test conditions), while compounds 2-3 are sensitive to neither (0% explosion under the test conditions). The heats of detonation (ΔHdet) of 1-3 were calculated based on density functional theory (DFT). Compound 1 possesses the highest calculated ΔHdet (26.7267 kJ g-1) among the reported energetic MOFs. Moreover, compared with the reported energetic MOFs, compound 1 also has a good balance of high nitrogen content (51.46%) and high oxygen balance (-36.76%) as well as a very high crystal density of 2.505 g cm-3.

Energetic Salts Based on Tetrazole N-Oxide.

Energetic materials (explosives, propellants, and pyrotechnics) are used extensively for both civilian and military applications and the development of such materials, particularly in the case of energetic salts, is subject to continuous research efforts all over the world. This Review concerns recent advances in the syntheses, properties, and potential applications of ionic salts based on tetrazole N-oxide. Most of these salts exhibit excellent characteristics and can be classified as a new family of highly energetic materials with increased density and performance, alongside decreased mechanical sensitivity. Additionally, novel tetrazole N-oxide salts are proposed based on a diverse array of functional groups and ions pairs, which may be promising candidates for new energetic materials.

Theoretical study of the correlation between electrostatic hazard and electronic structure for some typical primary explosives.

The electronic structures of lead styphnate, hexa(1,5-diaminotetrazole) cobalt perchlorate, lead azide, (5-cyanotetrazolato-N (2)) pentaammine cobalt perchlorate, and tris(carbohydrazide) zinc perchlorate were investigated via density functional theory. The results obtained reveal that the electrostatic spark sensitivities of these primary explosives are related to their electrostatic potentials and energy gaps. Highly sensitive primary explosives show large cell electrostatic potentials per unit volume and small energy gaps. Moreover, the energy levels of the frontier molecular orbitals play an important role in triboelectrification between an explosive and a flume. The lower the energy level of the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital of the primary explosive, the more easily it can accept electrons and accumulate negative charge.

Controllable explosion: fine-tuning the sensitivity of high-energy complexes.

Tuning the sensitivity of energetic materials has always been a research topic of interest. A lot of attention has been paid on changing the ligands previously used in traditional high energy density materials (HEDMs). Recently, we have stepped further along this path by thinking from another angle, i.e., changing the metal centre. Herein, we report 4 transition metal complexes bearing the 1,5-diaminotetrazole ligand, which have similar structures but drastically different sensitivities. These differences are apparently due to the different metal centres used.