The Low-Temperature High-Pressure Phase Diagram of Energetic Materials: I. Hexahydro-1,3,5-Trinitro-s-Triazine

High-pressure structural studies and pressure-induced sensitisation of 3,4,5-trinitro-1H-pyrazole

Herein we report the first high-pressure study of the energetic material 3,4,5-trinitro-1H-pyrazole (3,4,5-TNP) using neutron powder diffraction and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. A new high-pressure phase, termed Form II, was first identified through a substantial change in the neutron powder diffraction patterns recorded over the range 4.6-5.3 GPa, and was characterised further by compression of a single crystal to 5.3 GPa in a diamond-anvil cell using X-ray diffraction. 3,4,5-TNP was found to be sensitive to initiation under pressure, as demonstrated by its unexpected and violent decomposition at elevated pressures in successive powder diffraction experiments. Initiation coincided with the sluggish phase transition from Form I to Form II. Using a vibrational up-pumping model, its increased sensitivity under pressure can be explained by pressure-induced mode hardening. These findings have potential implications for the safe handling of 3,4,5-TNP, on the basis that shock- or pressure-loading may lead to significantly increased sensitivity to initiation.

Ab Initio Crystal Structure Prediction of the Energetic Materials LLM-105, RDX, and HMX

Crystal structure prediction (CSP) is performed for the energetic materials (EMs) LLM-105 and α-RDX, as well as the α and β conformational polymorphs of 1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetraazacyclooctane (HMX), using the genetic algorithm (GA) code, GAtor, and its associated random structure generator, Genarris. Genarris and GAtor successfully generate the experimental structures of all targets. GAtor's symmetric crossover scheme, where the space group symmetries of parent structures are treated as genes inherited by offspring, is found to be particularly effective. However, conducting several GA runs with different settings is still important for achieving diverse samplings of the potential energy surface. For LLM-105 and α-RDX, the experimental structure is ranked as the most stable, with all of the dispersion-inclusive density functional theory (DFT) methods used here. For HMX, the α form was persistently ranked as more stable than the β form, in contrast to experimental observations, even when correcting for vibrational contributions and thermal expansion. This may be attributed to insufficient accuracy of dispersion-inclusive DFT methods or to kinetic effects not considered here. In general, the ranking of some putative structures is found to be sensitive to the choice of the DFT functional and the dispersion method. For LLM-105, GAtor generates a putative structure with a layered packing motif, which is desirable thanks to its correlation with low sensitivity. Our results demonstrate that CSP is a useful tool for studying the ubiquitous polymorphism of EMs and shows promise of becoming an integral part of the EM development pipeline.

High pressure Raman study of LiClO4

Lithium perchlorate (LiClO₄), as one of the new high-energy oxidizers, is chosen for high pressure Raman research to gain a better understanding of the structure and stability, which is very important for the performance of an explosive. Raman spectra of LiClO₄ crystal have been measured from ambient to 25.07 GPa with diamond anvil cells (DACs) at room temperature to investigate the structural stability of this system. Raman vibrational modes of LiClO₄ crystal at ambient pressure were resolved comprehensively on the basis of our experimental and calculated results. Upon increase of pressure on LiClO₄ crystal sample to 1.96 GPa, it was found that the LiClO₄ crystal exhibited a pressure-induced first-order phase transformation behavior. The occurrence of a second phase transformation of LiClO₄ crystal induced by pressure was observed at about 5.09 GPa. Both phase transformations were demonstrated based on the detailed spectroscopic analysis of the variations in the number of lattice modes, splitting of Raman bands and frequency jumps of the Raman vibrational modes of LiClO₄ crystal.

Pressure and Polymorph Dependent Thermal Decomposition Mechanism of Molecular Materials: A Case of 1,3,5,-Trinitro-1,3,5,-triazine

1,3,5,-Trinitro-1,3,5,-triazine (RDX) serves as an important energetic material and is widely used as various solid propellants and explosives. Understanding the thermal decomposition behaviors of various polymorphs of RDX at high pressure and high temperature is significantly important for safe storage and handling. The present work reveals the early thermal decay mechanisms of two polymorphs (α- and ε-forms) of RDX at high pressure and high temperature by ReaxFF reactive molecular dynamic simulations and climbing image nudged elastic band (CI-NEB) static calculations. It is found that the thermal decomposition rate has positive and negative effects on the pressure for α- and ε-RDX, respectively. This difference originates from the difference of pressure effect on the intermolecular H transfer of the two polymorphs, as we confirm that the bimolecular H transfer rather than the NO₂ partition initiates the decay with a significantly lower energy barrier therein. This finding may be beneficial to understand the pressure and polymorph dependent effect on the decay of RDX and to develop a kinetic model for the combustion of solid RDX.

Effect of pressure gradient and new phases for 1,3,5-trinitrohexahydro-s-triazine (RDX) under high pressures

Herein, pressure-induced phase transitions of RDX up to 50 GPa were systematically studied under different compression conditions.

DFT study of structural, electronic, and absorption properties of crystalline β-RDX under pressures

The structural, electronic, and absorption properties of crystalline hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX) under hydrostatic pressure of 0–50 GPa were studied using density functional theory. As the pressure increases, the lattice constants and the unit cell volume decrease gradually. The compressibility of RDX crystal is anisotropic. The different changing trends of bond lengths and bond angles under pressures show that both the ring opening and the N–NO2 cleavage are possible to trigger the RDX decomposition. The interactions between electrons, especially for the valence electrons, are strengthened under the influence of pressure. The absorption spectra of RDX display more and stronger bands in the fundamental absorption region at high pressure.

High pressure-high temperature decomposition of γ-cyclotrimethylene trinitramine

Decomposition of γ-cyclotrimethylene trinitramine (γ-RDX) under high pressure-high temperature conditions was examined to elucidate the reactive behavior of RDX crystals. Vibrational spectroscopy measurements were obtained for single crystals in a diamond anvil cell (DAC) at pressures from 6 to 12 GPa and temperatures up to 600 K. Global decomposition rates, activation energies, and activation volumes at several pressures and temperatures below the P-T locus for the γ-RDX decomposition were obtained. Similar to ε-RDX, but in contrast to α-RDX, we found that pressure decelerates the decomposition of γ-RDX. The decomposition deceleration with pressure in the γ-phase can be attributed to pressure-inhibiting bond homolysis step(s). The main decomposition species were identified as N(2)O, CO(2), and H(2)O, in accord with the species reported for the α-phase decomposition at high pressures. This work complements previous studies on RDX at HP-HT conditions and provides comprehensive results on the reactive behavior of γ-RDX; the γ-phase plays a key role in RDX decomposition at P-T conditions relevant to shock wave initiation.