Direct ink writing of high explosive composites containing metal–organic frameworks

Abstract

Smart weapon systems are being miniaturised for widespread application in high-energy materials, necessitating the development of processable and printable high explosive (HEs) composites that can be detonated with a small critical diameter. This study presents an efficient strategy for fabricating HE composites with exceptional detonation performance. We developed an HE ink based on 1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazinane (RDX), consisting of a glycidyl azide polymer (GAP) as a binder and a metal–organic framework (MOF) as an additive. This ink was deposited on an aluminium plate using direct ink writing (DIW). The resulting RDX/MOF composite demonstrated a significantly lower critical diameter (∼720 μm) for detonation compared to a composite without the MOF. This reduction in critical diameter is attributed to the pores inside the MOFs, which enhanced the transfer of heat during detonation, creating an artificial hot-spot that sustained continuous explosion. The fabricated RDX/MOF composite offers a promising approach for developing miniaturized smart weapon systems with improved detonation characteristics.