Ingenieurwissenschaften und zugeordnete Tätigkeiten
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The reliable determination of gas-phase and solid-state heats of formation are important considerations in energetic materials research. Herein, the ability of PM7 to calculate the gas-phase heats of formation for CNHO-only and inorganic compounds has been critically evaluated, and for the former, comparisons drawn with isodesmic equations and Atom equivalence methods. Routes to obtain solid-state heats of formation for a range of singlecomponent molecular solids, salts, and co-crystals were also evaluated. Finally, local vibrational mode analysis has been used to calculate bond length/force constant curves for seven different chemical bonds occurring in CHNO-containing molecules, which allow for rapid identification of the weakest bond, opening up great potential to rationalise decomposition pathways. Both metrics are important tools in rationalising the design of new energetic materials through computational screening processes.
Mechanochemical reactions are driven by the direct absorption of mechanical energy by a solid (often crystalline) material. Understanding how this energy is absorbed and ultimately causes a chemical transformation is essential for understanding the elementary stages of mechanochemical transformations. Using as a model system the energetic material LiN3 we here consider how vibrational energy flows through the crystal structure. By considering the compression response of the crystalline material we identify the partitioning of energy into an initial vibrational excitation. Subsequent energy flow is based on concepts of phonon–phonon scattering, which we calculate within a quasi-equilibrium model facilitated by phonon scattering data obtained from Density Functional Theory (DFT). Using this model we demonstrate how the moments (picoseconds) immediately following mechanical impact lead to significant thermal excitation of crystalline LiN3, sufficient to drive marked changes in its electronic structure and hence chemical reactivity. This work paves the way towards an ab initio approach to studying elementary processes in mechanochemical reactions involving crystalline solids.
Energetic materials (explosives, propellants, pyrotechnics, and gas generators; EM) release large amounts of energy when initiated by mechanical loading and have many technological applications including in energy storage and propulsion. The accidental initiation of an EM – particularly in the wrong setting – has the potential to be catastrophic. Unfortunately, there is little understood about what determines the sensitivity of a given EM. This poses severe restrictions on our ability to design new and safer EMs.
Aiming to better understand the initiation mechanisms of EMs, we here investigate the reactivity of simple, isomorphous azides (MN3 M=Li, Na). Both metal azides contain the same explosophoric azido anions, but differ significantly in their reactivity, presumably owing to different bonding interactions between the anion and the metal cation. This interaction offers a promising probe for X-ray spectroscopy and quantum chemical simulations. In noting that mechanical initiation results from mechanical impact – with high local pressures – we are particularly interested in identifying how this bonding interaction changes as a function of pressure.
This interaction offers a promising probe for X-ray spectroscopy and quantum chemical simulations. In noting that mechanical initiation results from mechanical impact – with high local pressures – we are particularly interested in identifying how this bonding interaction changes as a function of pressure.
Here we show results from DFT simulations that indicate a shift in electronic structure and changes in the metal-azide bond with increasing pressure, which is further investigated through experimental XAS spectra. Together, our results show promising insights into the behaviour of simple metal azide EMs.
The impact sensitivity (IS) of FOX-7 polymorphs is predicted by phonon up-pumping to decrease as layers of FOX-7 molecules flatten. Experimental validation proved anomalous owing to a phase transition during testing, raising questions regarding Impact sensitivity measurement and highlighting the need for models to predict IS of polymorphic energetic materials.
Predicting the Impact Sensitivities of Energetic Materials through Zone-Center Phonon Up-Pumping
(2021)
The development of new energetic materials (EMs) is accompanied by significant hazards, prompting interest in their computational design. Before reliable in silico design strategies can be realized, however, approaches to understand and predict EM response to mechanical impact must be developed. We present here a fully ab initio model based in phonon up-pumping which successfully ranks the relative impact sensitivity of a series of organic EMs. The methodology depends only on the crystallographic unit cell and Brillouin zone center vibrational frequencies. We therefore expect this approach to become an integral tool in the large-scale screening of potential EMs.
Variable-temperature single-crystal diffraction experiments treated with the Gandolfi method reveal the detailed temperature evolution of the unit-cell dimensions, structural transformations and the phase co-existence of the energetic material FOX-7. Two first-order phase transitions are observed accompanied by abrupt changes in volume and unit-cell dimensions. The thermal expansion is found to be linear for all three phases, albeit highly anisotropic. Moreover, the experimental thermal expansion coefficients differ from those predicted from literature atomistic simulations.