Replacement of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene by two eutectics formed between 4-amino-1,2,4-triazolium nitrate and 4-amino-1,2,4-triazolium perchlorate

Abstract

Research into 4-amino-1,2,4-triazolium nitrate (4-ATN) and 4-amino-1,2,4-triazolium perchlorate (4-ATP) has been conducted to find a substitute for 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT). Samples of the two pure compounds and their mixtures were submitted to differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) at ambient pressure for eutectic and phase change temperature determination; the mass ratio of 4-ATN to 4-ATP of the mixture samples ranged from 0 : 100 to 100 : 0. The phase diagram of the 4-ATN/4-ATP system was constructed by substituting DSC data of the samples and their corresponding temperatures into the Van't Hoff equation, which indicated that the binary system possesses two eutectic points in the phase diagram. Additionally, elemental analysis and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) characterization were used to determine the purity and homogeneity of the samples. The impact as well as the friction sensitivities and the sensitivity towards electrostatic discharge were tested. The potential application of the two eutectics as eco-friendly high energy melt-cast explosive carriers has been studied and evaluated by using the experimentally obtained values for the thermal decomposition and the sensitivity data, as well as the detonation performance characteristics. It was found that the 30/70 eutectic possesses the best comprehensive performance with a detonation velocity of 8225.95 m s⁻¹.