Bio-inspired designing strategy and properties of energetic crystals@ (CNFs@PDA) composites

• Published in: Cellulose (London) 2023-08, Vol.30 (12), p.7729-7743
• Main Authors: Chen, Ling, Meng, Derong, Zhang, Jianwei, Cao, Xiang, Nan, Fengqiang, Liao, Xin, He, Weidong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adhesive strength; Biomimetics; Bioorganic Chemistry; Cellulose fibers; Ceramics; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Composite materials; Composites; Crystals; Dispersion; Dopamine; Energetic materials; Glass; HMX; Hydrophobicity; Mechanical properties; Mussels; Natural Materials; Organic Chemistry; Original Research; Phase transitions; Physical Chemistry; Polymer Sciences; Propellants; Sensitivity; Sustainable Development; Thermal stability; Transition temperature
• ISSN: 0969-0239; 1572-882X
• DOI: 10.1007/s10570-023-05324-3

The inherent high sensitivity and polymorphs phase transition of 1,3,5-trinitroperhydro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX), 1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocane (HMX) and 2,4,6,8,10,12-hexanitro-2,4,6,8,10,12-hexaazaisowurtzitane (CL-20) have impeded their extensive practical applications in propellants. Recently, cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) have attracted an intense attention due to its biodegradable, outstanding mechanical properties, and tunable surface physicochemical, thereby possessing promising application in energetic materials. However, the poor hydrophobicity and dispersion of CNFs easily agglomerate to units, which may encounter low-utilization of CNFs. Inspired by the strong chemical adhesion properties of mussels, a facile and noncovalent in-situ polymerization of dopamine was introduced to modify CNFs through a simple immersion method. Then, utilizing the as-prepared CNFs@PDA (polydopamine) to modify the energetic crystals via a brief and safe water suspension method. The in-depth characterizations of the obtained energetic crystal@(CNFs@PDA) composites demonstrate that CNFs were coated with a dense coating PDA, wherein CNFs@PDA deposit uniformly on the surfaces of energetic crystals, and the dispersibility of CNFs was improved remarkably. In addition, the thermal stability was obviously improved, whose phase transition temperature of HMX and CL-20 in the increased β → δ and ε → γ from 184.1 to 206.9 °C and from 162.7 to 182.2 °C, respectively. The sensitivity of composites was also significantly decreased compared with original energetic crystals. Hence, this construction strategy of energetic crystal@(CNFs@PDA) composites provides a promising method for the modification of energetic crystals and application potential propellants.