Some Novel High Energy Materials for Improved Performance**

Abstract

High Energy Materials (HEMs) is a generic/umbrella term which is used for explosives, propellants & pyrotechnics and form an integral part of almost all weapon systems. A large number of HEMs have been reported in the literature in last few decades. This review paper discusses these HEMs in the light of a new classification of explosives proposed by Agrawal: Thermally stable or Heat‐resistant explosives, High performance (high density & high velocity of detonation) explosives, Melt‐Castable explosives, Insensitive high explosives (IHEs), Energetic binders & plasticizers and Novel energetic materials synthesized with the use of dinitrogen pentoxide (N2O5) technology. This review also critically examines these HEMs from the angles of scalability, processability, safety, reliability and performance in order to ascertain their potential for applications. In the end, problems associated with the use of currently available energetic materials & their likely solutions and areas for further research are also highlighted.

Development and Characterization of New Energetic Composites Based on HNTO/AN Co-Crystal and Nitro-Cellulosic Materials

“…Through the progress of new high-energy and insensitive composites with elevated density, several issues have been addressed in recent years [ 1 , 2 ]. However, the most recently elaborated energetic formulations are still unable to substitute those actually employed in defense systems due to various drawbacks, such as incompatibility issues, poor thermal and physical stability, inappropriate energetic performance, and high cost, which restrict their further applications [ 3 , 4 ]. As a typical energetic material, nitrated cellulose (NC) remains the most widely used energetic component in different military and civilian applications owing to its outstanding features, including excellent mechanical strength, flammability, a rapid drying rate, and compatibility with several additives [ 5 ].…”

Promising Thermally Stable Energetic Materials with the Combination of Pyrazole–1,3,4-Oxadiazole and Pyrazole–1,2,4-Triazole Backbones: Facile Synthesis and Energetic Performance

“…Nitrogen-rich heterocycles such as pyrazole, oxadiazole, and triazole rich in C–N, O–N, and N–N bonds in their structures have drawn extensive attention for the design and preparation of nitrogen-rich materials owing to their inherently high energy content, density, high thermal stability, availability of sites for functional group substitution, and the ability to decompose into nitrogen gas. − The importance of these nitrogen-rich azole rings as energetic materials backbone has been well explored. Introducing azo-bridged and energy/oxygen-rich explosophoric groups (−N 3 , −NO 2 , −NHNO 2 , −ONO 2 , etc.)…”

“…Further, compound 16 was reacted with 100% HNO 3 for 12 h at room temperature, forming (Z)-N-(5-(4nitro-1H-pyrazol-3-yl)-2,4-dihydro-3H-1,2,4-triazol-3-ylidene)nitramide (18). 38 Compound 18 treated with various nitrogenrich bases in methanol to get energetic salts hydrazine (19), hydroxyl amine (20), and 7H- [1,2,4]triazolo [4,3-b][1,2,4]triazole-3,6,7-triamine (TATOT) (21) in quantitative yields. Compound 16 was diazotised using 37% HCl and KMnO 4 in water at 50 °C for 8 h, and the molecule (E)-1,2-bis(5-(4nitro-1H-pyrazol-3-yl)-1H-1,2,4-triazol-3-yl)diazene (22) was isolated in 52% yield.…”

Elaboration, Characterization and Thermal Decomposition Kinetics of New Nanoenergetic Composite Based on Hydrazine 3-Nitro-1,2,4-triazol-5-one and Nanostructured Cellulose Nitrate

“…In the last few decades, the development of new insensitive and high-energy dense composites has addressed a series of challenges in the field of materials chemistry and advanced applications (e.g., high performance solid propellants and insensitive composite explosives) [ 1 , 2 ]. For instance, the most newly developed energetic materials, are still not able to completely replace currently used ones in the military systems due to several problems including chemical incompatibility, low thermal stability, worse sensitivity, as well as high cost, which impede their further use in military systems [ 3 , 4 ]. As a common branch of energetic materials, nitrocellulose (NC)-based formulations play a prominent role in a broad range of industrial (e.g., membranes and cosmetic products) and defense (e.g., smokeless gun powders and rocket propellants) areas owing to their easily tunable and tailorable characteristics such as excellent mechanical properties, compatibility with several additives, flammability, and explosiveness [ 5 ].…”