A New Energetic Complex: Synthesis, Structure, and Combustion Catalysis Performance

Abstract

The potential of tetrazole-based ligands for forming energetic complexes applied in pyrotechnics and propellants is demonstrated with the use of 5,5’-(1,3-phenylene)bis(1H-tetrazole) (H2BTB) to generate an energetic complex with high energy. A new energetic complex of PbII-tetrazolate, [Pb2(BTB)2(H2O)8]·5H2O (1), was synthesized and structurally characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction. Structural analysis reveals that the central PbII ions present two distinct coordination environments in the asymmetric unit, including distorted pentagonal bipyramid and distorted tetragonal pyramid geometries, respectively. To identify potential combustion catalyst as additives in propellants, we employed differential scanning calorimetry technique to evaluate the influence of the complex on thermal decomposition of ammonium perchlorate (AP) and cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine (RDX). The kinetic parameters of an exothermic process for the catalytic system of RDX+1 were investigated by the Kissinger’s and Ozawa-Doyle’s methods. For both AP and RDX, the decomposition temperature decreased obviously in the presence of 1, and the released heat could effectively compensate the propellants. Our observations demonstrate that 1 shows good catalytic activity toward the thermal decomposition of AP and RDX.