Chapter 9 - Interplay between chemical and mechanical factors

Abstract

This chapter concerns with response of solid-state properties of energetic materials to the applied mechanical energy (ME) as an initiation factor of impact sensitivity (IS). Particularly, the processes of mechanically and thermally induced electron transfer (ET) as well as phonon-to-valence vibration energy transfer are in the focus of this review. Thus, a number of crystal properties, like band gap compressibility, crystal morphology, bulk modulus, phonons, and other are discussed in terms of IS phenomenon. Described models of IS are applied for aromatic, aliphatic, and heterocyclic nitro and nitrato compounds, metal azides, bistetrazole-based and aryl diazonium energetic salts (ESs). Finally, an attempt is made to compare applicability of features of isolated molecules with properties of its crystalline phases and to highlight their advantages and drawbacks.