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Surfactant Assisted Self-assembly and Synthesis of Highly Uniform Spherical CL-20 Microparticles

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Abstract

Morphological control of energetic materials (EM) is highly desired because ill-defined morphology arising from variations in processing method and supplier make it impossible to reproducibly engineer their physicochemical properties. As the most powerful, non nuclear energetic material to date, 2,4,6,8,10,12-hexanitro -2,4,6,8,10,12-hexaazaisowurtzitane (CL-20) has been the subject of significant interest for improved applications in military grade explosives. Here we report a new method for recrystallization of CL-20 from irregular bulk EMs using a surfactant assisted self-assembly process to produce uniform spherical micron-sized particles. Detailed electron microscopy studies indicate that surfactant plays a critical role in controlling CL-20 morphology. Combined X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy results reveal that the resultant spherical CL-20 particles exhibit an orthorhombic β-phase crystal structure. This material is expected to display enhanced functional reproducibility due to its monodisperse nature as well as decreased shock sensitivity due to their sub-micron particle size.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Sandia National Laboratories, 87106, Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States

    Kaifu Bian, Leanne Alarid, David Rosenberg & Hongyou Fan

  2. Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The University of New Mexico Center for Micro-Engineered Materials, 87131, Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States

    Hongyou Fan

Authors
  1. Kaifu Bian
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  2. Leanne Alarid
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  3. David Rosenberg
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  4. Hongyou Fan
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Bian, K., Alarid, L., Rosenberg, D. et al. Surfactant Assisted Self-assembly and Synthesis of Highly Uniform Spherical CL-20 Microparticles. MRS Advances 3, 2421–2427 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1557/adv.2018.307

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1557/adv.2018.307

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