Unprecedented energetic zwitterion integrating thermal stability, high energy density and low sensitivity: Overcoming performance trade-offs in conventional energetic materials
The simultaneous integration of high energy density, low sensitivity, and thermal stability in energetic materials has constituted a century-long scientific challenge. Herein, we address this through a dual-zwitterionic electronic delocalization strategy, yielding TYX-3, the first bis-inner salt triazolo-tetrazine framework combining these mutually exclusive properties. Uniform π-electron distribution and elevated bond dissociation energy confer exceptional thermal stability ( T d = 365 °C) with TATB-level insensitivity (impact sensitivity IS > 40 J, friction sensitivity FS > 360 N). Engineered π-stacked networks enable record density (1.99 g·cm −3 ) with detonation performance surpassing HMX benchmarks (detonation velocity 9315 m·s −1 , detonation pressure 36.6 GPa). Practical implementation in Poly (3-nitratomethyl-3-methyloxetane) (PNMMFO) solid propellants demonstrates 5.4-fold safety enhancement over conventional HMX-based formulations while maintaining equivalent specific impulse. This work establishes a new design paradigm for energetic materials, overcoming the historical trade-offs between molecular stability and energy output through rational zwitterionic engineering. This work demonstrates a bis-zwitterionic triazolo-tetrazine framework (TYX-3) achieving unprecedented energy-stability integration: record density (1.99 g·cm −3 ), HMX-level detonation velocity (9315 m·s −1 ), and TATB-like insensitivity (IS > 40 J, FS > 360 N) via synergistic π-delocalization and dual stabilization mechanisms, resolving the century-old energy-density-safety paradox in energetic materials.
Authors
- Bojun Tan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2634-6494)
- Shu Zeng
- Jinkang Dou (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5531-6633)
- Siwei Song (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2528-8728)
- Bozhou Wang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3899-4747)
- Jieyu Luan
- Jing Zhang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3750-374X)
- Changwei Tang
- Minghui Xu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6738-6161)
- Xiong Yang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4131-3519)
- Qinghua Zhang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4162-7155)
- Wenjie Li (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4195-6351)
- Gen Zhang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8619-3285)
- Ning Liu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0008-1269-8553)
- Xianming Lu
- Jian Su
Institutions
- Northwestern Polytechnical University (CN)
- Nanjing University of Science and Technology (CN)
- Gansu Research Institute of Chemical Industry (CN)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Defence Technology
- Published
- 2025-05-31
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dt.2025.05.024
- Citations
- 3
- Primary Topic
- Energetic Materials and Combustion
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 2.59
Funders
- National Natural Science Foundation of China
- National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars