A green oxidizer based on 1,2,3-triazole with a high oxygen balance of +23.3%: a promising replacement of ammonium perchlorate in solid propellants

Abstract

A novel 1,2,3-triazole-based green oxidizer 4-nitro-2,5-bis(trinitromethyl)-1,2,3-triazole (JY-23) with high oxygen balance (OBco₂ = +23.3%) was synthesized in 5 steps from 4-cyano-5-nitro-1H-1,2,3-triazole. Its structure was confirmed by NMR, IR, elemental analysis and single crystal X-ray diffraction. It exhibits a high density (1.931 g cm⁻³), a high positive enthalpy of formation (Δ_fH = +294.81 kJ mol⁻¹), and acceptable mechanical sensitivities (IS = 11 J and FS = 42 N), and, importantly, it is non-hydroscopic. The contribution of JY-23 to the specific impulse of solid propellants as a replacement for ammonium perchlorate (AP) in typical HTPB (hydroxyl terminated polybutadiene) and GAP (glycidyl azide polymer) solid propellants was calculated using NASA-CEA software. The results show that the replacement of AP with JY-23 results in a much higher specific impulse compared to some previously reported oxidizers, suggesting its potential application as a green oxidizer to replace AP in solid propellants.