Computational investigation on the desensitizing mechanism of graphite in explosives versus mechanical stimuli: compression and glide

A desensitizing mechanism of graphite in explosives versus mechanical stimuli was investigated using computational methods including density function theory and molecular dynamics. Dependences of energy change versus compression ratio and internal stress versus compression at absolute zero degree showed that the most possible compression was along the c-axis of graphite crystal. The result of molecular dynamics at room temperature indicated that the slide can readily occur between neighbor layers, but the distance between them can hardly change. The calculated potential energy of the slide of graphite within 0-0.19 kJ/cm3 is much larger than the potential energy of compression of common explosives to the extent of no detonation, for example, HMX, 0-0.046 kJ/cm3. It implied that the kinetic energy induced by mechanical stimuli can easily and partly convert into the potential energy of the slide and prevent explosives from forming hot spots. This should be the root reason for graphite used as a desensitizer in explosives.     

Pi-stacked interactions in explosive crystals: buffers against external mechanical stimuli

The pi-stacked interactions in some explosive crystal packing are discussed. Taking a typical pi-stacked explosive 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene-1,3,5-triamine (TATB) as a sample and using molecular simulations, we investigated the nature of the pi-stacked interactions versus the external mechanical stimuli causing possible slide and compression of explosives. As a result, between the neighbor layers in the TATB unit cell, the electrostatic attraction decreases with a little decrease of vdW attraction when its top layer slides, whereas the vdW attraction increases with a decrease of electrostatic attraction when TATB crystal is compressed along its c axis. Meanwhile, we studied the correlation between the pi-stacked structures and the impact sensitivities of explosives by means of three representatives including TATB with typical planar pi-stacked structures, 2,2-dinitroethylene-1,1-diamine (Fox-7) with wavelike pi-stacked structures, and 1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocane (HMX) without pi-stacked structure. The results showed that pi-stacked structures, particularly planar layers, can effectively buffer against external mechanical stimuli. That is, pi-stacked structures can partly convert the mechanical energy acting on them into their intermolecular interaction energy, to avoid the increase of the molecular vibration resulting in the explosive decomposition, the formation of hot spots, and the final detonation. This is another reason for the low mechanical sensitivity of pi-stacked explosives besides their stable conjugated molecular structures.     

Size-selective sliding of sessile drops on a slightly inclined plane using low-frequency AC electrowetting

When placed on an inclined solid plane, drops often stick to the solid surface due to pinning forces caused by contact angle hysteresis. When the drop size or the plane's incline angle is small, the drop is difficult to slide due to a decrease in gravitational force. Here we demonstrate that small drops (0.4-9 μL) on a slightly inclined plane (~12°, Teflon and parylene-C surface) can be mobilized through patterned electrodes by applying low-frequency ac electrowetting under 400 Hz (110-180 V(rms)), which has a mechanism different from that of the high-frequency ac method that induces sliding by reducing contact angle hysteresis. We attribute the sliding motion of our method to a combination of contact angle hysteresis and interfacial oscillation driven by ac electrowetting instead of the minimization of contact angle hysteresis at a high frequency. We investigated the effects of ac frequency on the sliding motion and terminal sliding of drops; the terminal sliding velocity is greatest at resonance frequency. Varying the electrowetting number (0.21-0.56) at a fixed frequency (40 Hz) for 5 μL drops, we found an empirical relationship between the electrowetting number and the terminal sliding velocity. Using the relationship between the drop size and ac frequency, we can selectively slide drops of a specific size or merge two drops along an inclined plane. This simple method will help with constructing microfluidic platforms with sorting, merging, transporting, and mixing of drops without a programmable control of electrical signals. Also, this method has a potential in heat transfer applications because heat removal capacity can be enhanced significantly through drop oscillation.     

TATB晶体结构的周期性密度泛函理论研究

对TATB晶体进行DFT-B3LYP/6-31G~(* *)周期性计算研究，求得其能带能带结 构和电子结构。探讨了结构-性能关系，从带隙约为4.1eV扒知TATB晶体的导电性处 于半导体和绝缘体之间，计算所得升华热为136.25kJ·mol~(-1)， 与实验值良好 相符，从原子间距和Mülliken集居分析，发现TATB晶体中同一层分子之间存在氢 键，而不同层之间距离较大，作用较弱，TATB分子中硝基氧带较多负电荷而氨基氢 带较多正电荷，这使TATB很难成为电子受体和给体，故化学上很稳定，考察晶体中 点电荷静电势，发现其在(001)面上的投影呈均匀分布，而在(100)和(010)面上的 揣影则有明显界面，表明同层分子间电子呈高度离域，异层之间相互作用极小，这 可解释TATB晶体沿c轴鼓胀以及受热循环后长大的各向异性和不可复原性等实验事 实。     

TATB固体与表面吸附水的相互作用研究

TATB（1，3，5-三氨基-2，4，6-三硝基苯）是最著名的耐热钝感炸药；水在 TATB表面的吸附作用研究具有理论和实用双重意义。在B3LYP/6-31G~（**）水平上 ，在对TATB晶体（001）表面作周期性计算的基础上经基组叠加误差（BSSE）校正 ，求得TATB的表面能为-19.90 kJ·mol~(-1)，与实验值良好相符；首次求得水在 TATB（001）面的吸附能为-10.25kJ·mol~(-1)；重点讨论了吸附前后能带和电子 结构的变化。     

冲击载荷下TATB晶体滑移和各向异性的分子动力学研究

采用ReaxFF反应力场和分子动力学方法,研究了1,3,5-三氨基-2,4,6-三硝基苯(TATB)炸药晶体在沿不同方向冲击载荷下的滑移和各向异性。冲击方向分别垂直于(101)、(111)、(011)、(110)、(010)、(100)和(001)晶面,冲击强度为10 GPa。研究结果表明,各冲击方向下可能被激发的滑移系均在{001}面,而其它滑移系均因很大的剪切阻力不容易被激发,这与TATB晶体沿c轴的层状结构和平面分子结构相符。预测了七个冲击方向下最容易被激发的滑移系,分别为(101)/{001}100、(111)/{001}010、(011)/{001}010、(110)/{001}010、(010)/{001}110、(100)/{001}120和(001)/{001}010。TATB晶体的冲击响应具有各向异性,动力学过程中体系的应力、能量、温度和化学反应都依赖于冲击方向。对垂直于(100)和(001)晶面的冲击,体系在滑移过程中遭遇的剪切阻力较高、持续时间较长,使得能量和温度较快升高,化学反应较容易发生;对垂直于(101)和(111)晶面的冲击,体系在滑移过程中遭遇的阻力较小且出现次数少,使得能量和温度缓慢升高,化学反应不易发生;对其余冲击方向,体系的响应居中。据此评价了7个冲击方向的相对敏感程度:(101)、(111)(011)、(110)、(010)(100)、(001)。本研究有助于在微观层次深入认识动载荷下TATB的响应机制、结构与性能的关系,为高能低感炸药的设计和研制提供理论参考。     

环四甲撑四硝胺/1,3,5-三氨基-2,4,6-三硝基苯共晶炸药的分子模拟研究

构建环四甲撑四硝胺 (HMX) /1,3,5-三氨基-2,4,6三硝基苯 (TATB)不同的共晶结构模型,用分子动力学(MD)模拟得到其平衡结构。基于平衡结构进行X射线粉末衍射（XRD）图谱模拟和能量计算。结果表明,与纯组分相比,HMX/TATB共晶结构的X射线粉末衍射图与主成分HMX相似,并均有新峰出现;TATB在HMX表面自由能最高、生长速率最慢的 (0 1 1) 晶面上发生取代后的能量最低,结构最稳定,据此推测在制备HMX/TATB共晶炸药过程中,TATB分子更容易进入HMX自由能高的晶面,得到结构稳定的共晶而使HMX变得更为钝感。     

高能体系分子间相互作用研究: 含NNO~2和NH~2混合物

以abinitioHF/6-31G^*计算求得NH~3+NH~2NO~2的两种优化构型,经MP4电子相关能校正和Boys-Bernardi方案校正基组叠加误差求得精确的分子间相互作用能。还用PM3方法计算研究TATB(均三氨基三硝基苯)分别与HMX(奥克托金)和RDX(黑索金)的混合体系,经色散能校正电子相关近似地求得分子间相互作用能。结果表明,NH~3与NH~2NO~2之间的最大结合能为-38.32kJ/mol;分子间相互作用增强了N-NO~2键强度;TATB与HMX,RDX的结合能远大于石墨与HMX或RDX的结合能,表明TATB对HMX和RDX的润湿和钝感作用较石墨更强。     

反相气相色谱法研究1,3,5-三氨基-2,4,6-三硝基苯的表面特性

采用反相气相色谱技术(IGC)研究了4种不同粒度的1,3,5-三氨基-2,4,6-三硝基苯(TATB)的表面性质。4种不同粒度的TATB表面自由能的色散分量（γds）随着温度的升高而增加;粒度越大的粒子,其色散自由能上升越快;在较高温度下,粗颗粒TATB显示了更强的色散作用(γds=193.2 mJ/m2,353 K),粒度最小的亚微米TATB显示了最弱的色散作用(γds=64.0 mJ/m2,353 K)。由于制备方法不同和粒子大小的差异,4种TATB的表面酸碱性质显示了明显的差别,细颗粒TATB表面有较强的亲电子特性;而其他3种TATB在极性探针分子的作用下的吸附均表现为吸热吸附,表现出在分子内和分子间具有强烈的相互作用,其Ka和Kb值均为负。     

TATB与二氟甲烷以及与聚偏二氟乙烯的分子间相互作用

动用密度泛函理论(SFT)B3LYP方法,取3－21G*基组,求得TATB(1,3,5-三氨基-2,4,6-三硝基苯)与CH~2F~2混合体系的三种优化构型以Boys-Bernardi方案校正基组叠加误差求得结合能。在B3LYP/6----311G*//B3LYP/3---21G*水TATB与CH~2F~2间的最大结合能为4.62kJ·mol^-1,还用MO－PM3方法计算TATB与---（CF~2CH~2}－(N=1,2,3,4,5,)的混合体系,由色散校正电子相关近似地求得其结合能力。当n＝5时,求得TATB与－（CF~2CH~2）--~n的最大结合能约为52.97kJ·MOL^-1。此外,自然键轨道分析用于讨论TATB与CH~2F~2之间的电荷转移。     

Photolysis of the Insensitive Explosive 1,3,5-Triamino-2,4,6-trinitrobenzene (TATB)

The explosive 1,3,5-triamino-2,4,6-trinitrobenzene (TATB) is of particular interest due to its extreme insensitivity to impact, shock and heat, while providing a good detonation velocity. To determine its fate under environmental conditions, TATB powder was irradiated with simulated sunlight and, in water, under UV light at 254 nm. The hydrolysis of particles submerged in neutral and alkaline solutions was also examined. We found that, by changing experimental conditions (e.g., light source, and mass and physical state of TATB), the intermediates and final products were slightly different. Mono-benzofurazan was the major transformation product in both irradiation systems. Two minor transformation products, the aci-nitro form of TATB and 3,5-diamino-2,4,6-trinitrophenol, were detected under solar light, while 1,3,5-triamino-2-nitroso-4,6-dinitrobenzene, 1,3,5-triamino-2,4-dinitrobenzene and mono-benzofuroxan were produced under UV light. The product identified as 3,5-diamino-2,4,6-trinitrophenol was identical to the one formed in the dark under alkaline conditions (pH 13) and in water incubated at either 50 °C or aged at ambient conditions. Interestingly, when only a few milligrams of TATB were irradiated with simulated sunlight, the aci-isomer and mono-benzofurazan derivative were detected; however, the hydrolysis product 3,5-diamino-2,4,6-trinitrophenol formed only much later in the absence of light. This suggests that the water released from TATB to form mono-benzofurazan was trapped in the interstitial space between the TATB layers and slowly hydrolyzed the relatively stable aci-nitro intermediate to 3,5-diamino-2,4,6-trinitrophenol. This environmentally relevant discovery provides data on the fate of TATB in surface environments exposed to sunlight, which can transform the insoluble substrate into more soluble and corrosive derivatives, such as 3,5-diamino-2,4,6-trinitrophenol, and that some hydrolytic transformation can continue even without light.     

Understanding the solubility of triamino-trinitrobenzene in hydrous tetramethylammonium fluoride: a first principles molecular dynamics simulation study

With the aim to understand the relatively high solubility of 1,3,5-triamino-2,4,6-trinitrobenzene (TATB), an important energetic material with a high degree of inter- and intra-molecular hydrogen bonding, in fluoride anion containing ionic liquids (ILs), first principles molecular dynamics simulations in the isobaric-isothermal ensemble were carried out for a system using hydrous tetramethylammonium fluoride as the prototypical solvent. Simulations initiated from both molecular TATB and its Meisenheimer complex (i.e., a σ-complex of the fluoride and the electrophilic ring of TATB) yield a Zundel-type complex where a proton is shared between an amino group and an F(-) ion, whereas the Meisenheimer complex is found to be only transiently stable. An analysis of the electronic structure probing the Wannier function centers supports the finding of a proton-sharing complex with a three-center four-electron like bond. The Zundel-type complex also yields an electronic absorption spectrum consistent with the experimentally observed color change. This study provides evidence that the remarkable solubility of otherwise hard-to-dissolve molecular crystals in ILs can be aided by chemical modification of the solute.     

Raman spectroscopy of aminated and ultrafine 1,3,5-triamino-2,4,6-trinitrobenzene and PBX 9502 as a function of pressing pressure

The Raman spectra of emulsion aminated, wet aminated, dry aminated, and ultrafine 1,3,5-triamino-2,4,6-trinitrobenzene (TATB) and PBX 9502 explosive powders are measured in a pellet die at pressures from ambient to 180 MPa with a 632.8 nm helium-neon laser. Raman peak frequencies and line widths are calculated from accurately calibrated spectra. The spectral region below 400 cm(-1), where the pressure shifts of the Raman peaks are larger, is emphasized. The most salient effect of pressing is an approximate permanent doubling of the line width of the ambient 56.9 cm(-1) peak for all TATB types. This peak is also much wider in the ultrafine TATB powder than in the other TATB powders, which indicates that the process of creating the ultrafine powder also creates changes in the TATB crystals. The peaks in the spectra of the aminated TATBs and PBX 9502 are very similar, but differences in the fluorescence backgrounds correlate with the expected crystalline purity differences from the different amination processes. The peak frequencies versus pressure for several of the more intense low-frequency peaks can be fit well to linear functions between 40 and 180 MPa. The pressure slopes of the emulsion aminated peaks are consistently larger than the slopes of the other powders. Grüneisen parameters calculated from peaks below 100 cm(-1) are scattered, which is probably caused by the anisotropy of TATB crystals and different types of intermolecular bonds.     

Radiation-induced decomposition of PETN and TATB under extreme conditions

We conducted a series of experiments investigating decomposition of secondary explosives PETN and TATB at varying static pressures and temperatures using synchrotron radiation. As seen in our earlier work, the decomposition rate of TATB at ambient temperature slows systematically with increasing pressure up to at least 26 GPa but varies little with pressure in PETN at ambient temperature up to 15.7 GPa, yielding important information pertaining to the activation complex volume in both cases. We also investigated the radiation-induced decomposition rate as a function of temperature at ambient pressure and 26 GPa for TATB up to 403 K, observing that the decomposition rate increases with increasing temperature as expected. The activation energy for the TATB reaction at ambient temperature was experimentally determined to be 16 +/- 3 kJ/mol.     

TATB/氟聚物PBX力学性能、结合能和爆炸性能的模拟计算

Molecular dynamics （MD） method was used to simulate 1,3,5-triamino-2,4,6-trinitrobenzene （TATB） coated with fluorine containing polymers. The mechanical properties and binding energies of PBXs were obtained. It was found that when the number of chain monomers of fluorine containing polymers was the same, the elasticity of TATB/F2314 was increased more greatly than others and the binding energy of TATB/F2311 was the largest among four PBXs. Detonation heat and velocity of such four PBXs were calculated according to theoretical and empirical formulas. The results show that the order of detonation heat is TATB〉TATB/PVDF〉TATB/F2311〉TATB/ F2314 〉 TATB/PCTFE while the order of detonation velocity is TATB/PVDF 〈 TATB/F2311 〈 TATB/F2314 〈 TATB/PCTFE 〈TATB.     

TATB基PBX结合能的分子动力学模拟

用分子动力学（MD）方法, 模拟计算了四种氟聚合物(聚偏二氟乙烯（PVDF）、聚三氟氯乙烯（PCTFE）、氟橡胶（F₂₃₁₁)、氟树脂(F₂₃₁₄))与TATB(1,3,5- 三氨基- 2,4,6- 三硝基苯)晶体的相互作用. 结果发现, 四种氟聚物与TATB的结合能大小排序为PVDF>F₂₃₁₁>F₂₃₁₄>PCTFE, 各氟聚物在TATB不同晶面上的结合能大小排序为(001)>(010)>(100), 结合能主要由分子间氢键决定.     

Sliding on DNA: From Peptides to Small Molecules

Many DNA binding proteins utilize one‐dimensional (1D) diffusion along DNA to accelerate their DNA target recognition. Although 1D diffusion of proteins along DNA has been studied for decades, a quantitative understanding is only beginning to emerge and few chemical tools are available to apply 1D diffusion as a design principle. Recently, we discovered that peptides can bind and slide along DNA—even transporting cargo along DNA. Such molecules are known as molecular sleds. Here, to advance our understanding of structure–function relationships governing sequence nonspecific DNA interaction of natural molecular sleds and to explore the potential for controlling sliding activity, we test the DNA binding and sliding activities of chemically modified peptides and analogs, and show that synthetic small molecules can slide on DNA. We found new ways to control molecular sled activity, novel small‐molecule synthetic sleds, and molecular sled activity in N‐methylpyrrole/N‐methylimidazole polyamides that helps explain how these molecules locate rare target sites.     

Can octupolar molecules be poled by an external electric field?

Octupolar molecules are generally believed to be of potential use in developing nonlinear optical materials owing to the fact that they do not easily form molecular aggregates. This is often put against the conjectured drawback that electric fields have no poling, or ordering, effect for this class of molecules because of the lack of a permanent ground state dipole moment. In this paper, we analyze this notion in some detail and present results from molecular dynamics computer simulations of an ensemble of a prototypical octupolar molecule, the 1,3,5-triamino-2,4,6-trinitrobenzene (TATB) molecule, dissolved in chloroform. It is found that TATB molecules indeed show rather significant dipole moments in solutions because of the dual action of the thermal motions of the atoms and the strong intermolecular interactions. Applied electric fields accordingly show significant effects on the orientations of the molecular dipole moments. We also find that TATB molecules can aggregate because of the strong hydrogen-bonding interactions between the molecules, though they lack a static permanent dipole moment. Thus, the simulation results for TATB molecules in solution present us with a totally different notion about the collective properties of octupolar molecules. Taking account of quantum chemistry results, we found that the collective molecular nonlinear optical (NLO) properties are enhanced after the onset of the electric field, showing significant anisotropic characteristics.     

TATB二聚体分子间作用力及其气相几何构型研究

采用对称性匹配微扰理论(SAPT)定量地求得TATB分子间的静电、交换排斥、诱导和色散等分子间作用能项, 从理论上揭示了TATB分子间作用本质; 在此基础上, 阐明了密度泛函在研究TATB二聚体时的适合性问题. 结果表明: (1)在有分子间氢键的TATB二聚体中, 库仑力足以与交换排斥力相抗衡, 起主导作用. (2)含分子间氢键的气相TATB二聚体的合理几何构型为平面型结构, 此结构的产生与色散力无关, 因此不管泛函是否含有近程色散作用, 均应预测到这种强极性的平面型结构. (3)在无分子间氢键的TATB二聚体中, 库仑力难以与交换排斥力相抗衡, 色散作用起到了关键作用; (4)在这种情况下, 未含有近程色散作用的密度泛函不可能给出合理构型. 恰好相反, 含有近程色散作用的密度泛函PBE0却能正确地预测到具有“平行重叠”结构且呈微弱极性的TATB二聚体, 色散力是导致这种构型产生的根本原因. “平行重叠”TATB二聚体是典型的色散体系, 其色散力占绝对主导地位并极有可能起源于两个TATB分子上π电子的相互作用. (5)对于所有TATB二聚体, 色散力或很显著或起主导作用. 由于密度泛函或未含有近程色散, 或只能部分地把近程色散表达出来, 这样使得当前所有密度泛函不可能精确求得这些二聚体的作用能.     

Nonequilibrium energy dissipation at the interface of sliding model hydroxylated alpha-alumina surfaces

Nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulations were performed to study the dynamics of energy transfer at the interface of a small nanoscale hydroxylated alpha-alumina surface sliding across a much larger surface of the same material. Sliding velocities of 0.05, 0.5, 5, and 50 ms and loads of 0, 0.0625, 5, 15, 25, and 100 nN were considered. Nonequilibrium energy distributions were found at the interface for each of these conditions. The velocity distribution P(v) for the atoms in a sublayer of the smaller surface oscillates during the sliding, reflecting the periodicity of the interfacial intermolecular potential. When averaged over the sliding, this P(v) for each of the sublayers is bimodal with Boltzmann and non-Boltzmann components. The non-Boltzmann component, with temperatures in excess of 1000 K and as high as 2500 K, is most important for the interfacial H-atom sublayer and becomes less important in moving to a sublayer further from the interface. Similarly, the temperature of the Boltzmann component decreases for sublayers further from the interface and approaches the 300 K temperature of the boundary. The temperature of the Boltzmann component decreases, but the importance of the non-Boltzmann component increases, as the sliding velocity is decreased. The temperature of the non-Boltzmann component is relatively insensitive to the sliding velocity. Friction forces are determined by calculating the energy dissipation during the sliding, and different regimes are found for variation in the friction force versus sliding velocity v(s) and applied load. For v(s) of 0.05, 0.5, and 5 ms, the friction force is inversely proportional to v(s) reflecting the increased time for energy dissipation as v(s) is decreased.