Binary eutectics formed between ammonium nitrate and amine salts of 5-nitrotetrazole I. preparation and initial characterization

Abstract

Abstract We have found that both the ammonium salt of 5-nitrotetrazole (ANT) and the ethylenediamine salt of 5-nitrotetrazole (ENT) form eutectics with ammonium nitrate (AN). Initial characterization and small-scale sensitivity tests of CO2-balanced AN/ANT and AN/ENT formulations were performed; it was found that both eutectics were less sensitive in all tests than pure ANT or ENT, respectively. The phase diagrams of both mixtures were also determined. ANT forms a eutectic with AN that melts at 121°C; the eutectic composition of the AN/ANT system is 78.5 mol% AN. The eutectic temperature and composition of the AN/ENT system were found to be 110.5°C and 87.8 mol% AN, respectively. Thermal stability studies of the eutectics indicate that they are stable below 160°C and that thermal decomposition occurs slowly over a long period of time. The detonation velocities of both eutectics, measured unconfined at 2.54-cm diameter, were found to be within 95% of those predicted by the Kamlet-Jacobs method assuming ideal behavior.