DECOMPOSITION AND PERFORMANCEOFNEW HIGH NITROGEN PROPELLANTS AND EXPLOSIVES

Abstract

As of late, molecules with high nitrogen content have received increased attention, due in large part to their novel energetic materials properties. At the Los Alamos National Laboratory, we continue to pursue the development and characterization of new high-nitrogen materials for applications in a wide variety of fields. In this work three molecules, triaminoguanidinium azotetrazolate (TAGzT), 3,6-bis-nitroguanyl-1,2,4,5-tetrazine and its corresponding bis-triaminoguanidinium salt, are studied all of which are high-nitrogen compounds with little or no oxygen, however, retain energetic material properties as a result of their high heats of formation. Because of this, the decomposition of this class of compounds have limited or no secondary oxidation reactions of carbon and hydrogen. Other materials discussed for comparison include 3,3'-azobis(6-amino-1,2,4,5-tetrazine)-mixed N-oxides (DAATO{sub 3.5}) and 3,6-bis(1H-1,2,3,4-tetrazol-5-ylamino)-s-tetrazine (BTATz) and the nitramine octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocine (HMX). The fact that many of these molecules approach 80% nitrogen content makes them potentially useful as gas generants or energetic materials with low flame temperatures, while simultaneously increasing the impulse of gun or rocket propellants. The burning rate, flash pyrolysis (T-jump/FTIR spectroscopy), explosive sensitivity and performance properties were determined. Some examples of interesting behaviors include that TAGzT exhibits one of the fastest low pressure burning rates yet measured for an organic compound,more » and 3,6-bis-nitroguanyl-1,2,4,5-tetrazine has one of the lowest pressure exponents yet measured for a pure organic compound.« less