Initial Decomposition Mechanism of 3-Nitro-1,2,4-triazol-5-one (NTO) under Shock Loading: ReaxFF Parameterization and Molecular Dynamic Study

We report a reactive molecular dynamic (ReaxFF-MD) study using the newly parameterized ReaxFF-lg reactive force field to explore the initial decomposition mechanism of 3-Nitro-1,2,4-triazol-5-one (NTO) under shock loading (shock velocity >6 km/s). The new ReaxFF-lg parameters were trained from massive quantum mechanics data and experimental values, especially including the bond dissociation curves, valence angle bending curves, dihedral angle torsion curves, and unimolecular decomposition paths of 3-Nitro-1,2,4-triazol-5-one (NTO), 1,3,5-Trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX), and 1,1-Diamino-2,2-dinitroethylene (FOX-7). The simulation results were obtained by analyzing the ReaxFF dynamic trajectories, which predicted the most frequent chain reactions that occurred before NTO decomposition was the unimolecular NTO merged into clusters ((C₂H₂O₃N₄)_n). Then, the NTO dissociated from (C₂H₂O₃N₄)_n and started to decompose. In addition, the paths of NO₂ elimination and skeleton heterocycle cleavage were considered as the dominant initial decomposition mechanisms of NTO. A small amount of NTO dissociation was triggered by the intermolecular hydrogen transfer, instead of the intramolecular one. For α-NTO, the calculated equation of state was in excellent agreement with the experimental data. Moreover, the discontinuity slope of the shock-particle velocity equation was presented at a shock velocity of 4 km/s. However, the slope of the shock-particle velocity equation for β-NTO showed no discontinuity in the shock wave velocity range of 3–11 km/s. These studies showed that MD by using a suitable ReaxFF-lg parameter set, could provided detailed atomistic information to explain the shock-induced complex reaction mechanisms of energetic materials. With the ReaxFF-MD coupling MSST method and a cheap computational cost, one could also obtain the deformation behaviors and equation of states for energetic materials under conditions of extreme pressure.     

TNT高温热解及含碳团簇形成的反应分子动力学模拟

ReaxFF-MD模拟三硝基甲苯(TNT)高温热解显示增加了伦敦耗散力项(E_lg)的ReaxFF/lg 势函数在含能材料平衡密度计算方面具有优越性. 产物识别分析得出TNT热解的主要产物为NO₂、NO、H₂O、N₂、CO₂、CO、OH以及HONO,且最终产物为H₂O、N₂和CO₂. 使用ReaxFF势函数模拟同样过程进行比较性分析显示,在主要产物和最终产物方面与ReaxFF/lg 作用结果具有一致性,但在化学反应动力学方面表现出一些差异. ortho-NO₂键断裂和C―NO₂→C―ONO重排布-断裂形成NO₂和NO是TNT热解的主要初级反应,且前者产生速率大于后者,NO₂和NO形成后很快参与次级反应并最终形成N₂. 高温热解中形成OH等小分子会促进H₂O的形成. 环上基团相互反应或直接脱落后,主环间C―C键才发生断裂,但温度升高会加快主环断裂,并进一步分解形成CO₂,这也是高温条件下CO₂分布产生波动的一个重要原因. 并且当晶胞中的TNT分子几乎完全分解时,系统的势能开始明显衰减. 与温度相比,密度对热解中最大含碳团簇形成的影响更明显. 并且,模拟结果显示,在TNT完全分解前已经出现含碳中间体的聚合现象. 此项工作表明使用ReaxFF/lg 反应力场研究TNT高温热解可以提供具体的动力学和化学方面的信息,并有助于理解含能材料的爆轰问题并可进行安全评估.     

On the Reliability of the AMBER Force Field and its Empirical Dispersion Contribution for the Description of Noncovalent Complexes

The reliability of the AMBER force field is tested by comparing the total interaction energy and dispersion energy with the reference data obtained at the density functional theory–symmetry‐adapted perturbation treatment (DFT–SAPT)/aug‐cc‐pVDZ level. The comparison is made for 194 different geometries of noncovalent complexes (H‐bonded, stacked, mixed, and dispersion‐bound), at the equilibrium distances as well as at longer distances (up to a relative distance of two). The total interaction energies agree very well with the reference data and only the strength of H‐bonded complexes is slightly underestimated. In the case of dispersion energy, the overall agreement is even better, with the exception of the stacked aromatic systems, where the empirical dispersion energy is overestimated. The use of AMBER interaction energy and AMBER dispersion energy for different types of noncovalent complexes at equilibrium as well as at longer distances is thus justified, except for a few cases, such as the water molecule, where the dispersion energy is highly inaccurate.     

Periodic DFT study of structural,electronic, absorption,and thermodynamic properties of crystalline α-RDX under hydrostatic compression

Periodic density functional theory calculations have been performed to study the structural, electronic, absorption, and thermodynamic properties of crystalline α-RDX under hydrostatic compression of 0–50 GPa. As the pressure increases, its lattice parameters, bond lengths, bonds angels, torsion angles, cell volumes, and band structure crystal change regularly except at the pressure of 13 GPa, where a structural transformation occurs. The remarkable changes in the bond lengths and bond angles indicate that there are several possible initiation decomposition mechanisms of RDX under compression. An analysis of density of states shows that the interactions between electrons, especially for the valence electrons, are strengthened under the influence of pressure. The absorption spectra show that the structural transformation makes the absorption coefficient of C–H stretching increase significantly. An analysis of thermodynamic properties indicates that the structural transformation is endothermic and not spontaneous at room temperature. The increasing temperature is not favorable for the structural transformation.     

Performance of dispersion-corrected density functional theory for the interactions in ionic liquids

Potential energy curves for the dissociation of cation-anion associates representing the building units of ionic liquids have been computed with dispersion corrected DFT methods. Non-local van der Waals density functionals (DFT-NL) for the first time as well as an atom pair-wise correction method (DFT-D3) have been tested. Reference data have been computed at the extrapolated MP2/CBS and estimated CCSD(T)/CBS levels of theory. The investigated systems are combined from two cations (1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium and tributyl(methyl)posphonium) and three anions (chloride, dicyanamide, acetate). We find substantial stabilization from London dispersion energy near equilibrium of 5-7 kcal mol(-1) (about 5-6% of the interaction energy). Equilibrium distances are shortened by 0.03-0.09 ? and fundamental (inter-fragment) vibrational frequencies (which are in the range 140-180 cm(-1)) are increased by typically 10 cm(-1) when dispersion corrections are made. The dispersion-corrected hybrid functional potentials are in general in excellent agreement with the corresponding CCSD(T) reference data (typical deviations of about 1-2%). The DFT-D3 method performs unexpectedly well presumably because of cancellation of errors between the dispersion coefficients of the cations and anions. Due to self-interaction error, semi-local density functionals exhibit severe SCF convergence problems, and provide artificial charge-transfer and inaccurate interaction energies for larger inter-fragment distances. Although these problems may be alleviated in condensed phase simulations by effective Coulomb screening, only dispersion-corrected hybrid functionals with larger amounts of Fock-exchange can in general be recommended for such ionic systems.     

Decomposition of γ-Cyclotrimethylene Trinitramine (γ-RDX): Relevance for Shock Wave Initiation

To elucidate the reactive behavior of RDX crystals at pressures and temperatures relevant to shock wave initiation, Raman spectroscopy and optical imaging were used to determine the pressure-temperature (P-T) stability and the decomposition of γ-RDX, the high pressure phase of RDX. Experiments were performed on single crystals in a diamond anvil cell at pressures from 6 to 12 GPa and at temperatures up to 600 K. Evidence for the direct decomposition of γ-RDX above 6 GPa, without the involvement of other phases, is provided. The upper limit of the P-T locus for the γ-RDX thermal decomposition was determined. A refined P-T phase diagram of RDX is presented that includes the current findings for γ-RDX. The static compression results are used to gain key insight into the shock initiation of RDX, including a determination of the RDX phase at decomposition and understanding the role of pressure and temperature in accelerating shock induced decomposition. This study has established the important role that γ-RDX plays in decomposition of RDX under static and shock compression conditions; thus theoretical modeling of RDX decomposition at high pressures and temperatures needs to incorporate the γ-phase response.     

Structure and binding energy of anion-pi and cation-pi complexes: a comparison of MP2, RI-MP2, DFT, and DF-DFT methods

Several complexes of benzene with cations, hexafluorobenzene with anions, 1,3,5-trifluorobenzene with cations and anions, and s-triazine with cations and anions have been evaluated and compared at the MP2 and resolution of the identity MP2 (RI-MP2) levels. The RI-MP2 method is considerably faster than the MP2 and the interaction energies and equilibrium distances are almost identical for both methods. A similar result is found when comparing DFT and density fitting DFT (DF-DFT) levels. Therefore RI-MP2 and DF-DFT methods are well suited for the study of ion-pi interactions.     

适用于TATB,RDX,HMX含能材料的全原子力场的建立与验证

报道一个适用于三种常见的含能材料分子三硝基三氨基苯(TATB),环三亚甲基三硝胺(RDX),环四亚甲基四硝胺(HMX)的全原子力场.力场采用广泛使用的力场函数形式,其中键参数通过拟合量子化学密度泛函计算的数据获得,电荷参数和范德华参数通过拟合相应的分子晶体的物理性质(密度和升华焓)优化得到.通过计算分子和分子晶体的性质显示该力场可以用来准确地预测分子结构、分子振动频率和分子晶体的晶胞参数、密度和升华焓.进一步的验证显示该力场可用来较为准确地预测分子晶体的状态方程和机械模量.     

A Reactive Molecular Dynamics Study of Chlorinated Organic Compounds. Part II: A ChemTraYzer Study of Chlorinated Dibenzofuran Formation and Decomposition Processes

In our two-paper series, we first present the development of ReaxFF CHOCl parameters using the recently published ParAMS parametrization tool. In this second part, we update the reactive Molecular Dynamics – Quantum Mechanics coupling scheme ChemTraYzer and combine it with our new ReaxFF parameters from Part I to study formation and decomposition processes of chlorinated dibenzofurans. We introduce a self-learning method for recovering failed transition-state searches that improves the overall ChemTraYzer transition-state search success rate by 10 percentage points to a total of 48 %. With ChemTraYzer, we automatically find and quantify more than 500 reactions using transition state theory and DFT. Among the discovered chlorinated dibenzofuran reactions are numerous reactions that are new to the literature. In three case studies, we discuss the set of reactions that are most relevant to the dibenzofuran literature: (i) bimolecular reactions of the chlorinated-dibenzofuran precursors phenoxy radical and 1,3,5-trichlorobenzene, (ii) dibenzofuran chlorination and pyrolysis, and (iii) oxidation of chlorinated dibenzofurans.     

Combination of 1,2,4‐Oxadiazole and 1,2,5‐Oxadiazole Moieties for the Generation of High‐Performance Energetic Materials

Salts generated from linked 1,2,4‐oxadiazole/1,2,5‐oxadiazole precursors exhibit good to excellent thermal stability, density, and, in some cases, energetic performance. The design of these compounds was based on the assumption that by the combination of varying oxadiazole rings, it would be possible to profit from the positive aspects of each of the components. All of the new compounds were fully characterized by elemental analysis, IR spectroscopy, ¹H, ¹³C, and (in some cases) ¹⁵N NMR spectroscopy, and thermal analysis (DSC). The structures of 2 – 3 and 5 ‐ 1 ?5 H₂O were confirmed by single‐crystal X‐ray analysis. Theoretical performance calculations were carried out by using Gaussian 03 (Revision D.01). Compound 2 ‐ 3 , with its good density (1.85 g cm^?3), acceptable sensitivity (14 J, 160 N), and superior detonation pressure (37.4 GPa) and velocity (9046 m s^?1), exhibits performance properties superior to those of 1,3,5‐trinitroperhydro‐1,3,5‐triazine (RDX).     

Orbital overlap and chemical bonding

The chemical bonds in the diatomic molecules Li(2)-F(2) and Na(2)-Cl(2) at different bond lengths have been analyzed by the energy decomposition analysis (EDA) method using DFT calculations at the BP86/TZ2P level. The interatomic interactions are discussed in terms of quasiclassical electrostatic interactions DeltaE(elstat), Pauli repulsion DeltaE(Pauli) and attractive orbital interactions DeltaE(orb). The energy terms are compared with the orbital overlaps at different interatomic distances. The quasiclassical electrostatic interactions between two electrons occupying 1s, 2s, 2p(sigma), and 2p(pi) orbitals have been calculated and the results are analyzed and discussed. It is shown that the equilibrium distances of the covalent bonds are not determined by the maximum overlap of the sigma valence orbitals, which nearly always has its largest value at clearly shorter distances than the equilibrium bond length. The crucial interaction that prevents shorter bonds is not the loss of attractive interactions, but a sharp increase in the Pauli repulsion between electrons in valence orbitals. The attractive interactions of DeltaE(orb) and the repulsive interactions of DeltaE(Pauli) are both determined by the orbital overlap. The net effect of the two terms depends on the occupation of the valence orbitals, but the onset of attractive orbital interactions occurs at longer distances than Pauli repulsion, because overlap of occupied orbitals with vacant orbitals starts earlier than overlap between occupied orbitals. The contribution of DeltaE(elstat) in most nonpolar covalent bonds is strongly attractive. This comes from the deviation of quasiclassical electron-electron repulsion and nuclear-electron attraction from Coulomb's law for point charges. The actual strength of DeltaE(elstat) depends on the size and shape of the occupied valence orbitals. The attractive electrostatic contributions in the diatomic molecules Li(2)-F(2) come from the s and p(sigma) electrons, while the p(pi) electrons do not compensate for nuclear-nuclear repulsion. It is the interplay of the three terms DeltaE(orb), DeltaE(Pauli), and DeltaE(elstat) that determines the bond energies and equilibrium distances of covalently bonded molecules. Molecules like N(2) and O(2), which are usually considered as covalently bonded, would not be bonded without the quasiclassical attraction DeltaE(elstat).     

"Stubborn" triaminotrinitrobenzene: unusually high chemical stability of a molecular solid to 150 GPa

We report an unexpectedly high chemical stability of molecular solid 1,3,5-triamino-2,4,6-trinitrobenzene (TATB) under static high pressures. In contrast to the high-pressure behavior of the majority of molecular solids, TATB remains both chemically stable and an insulator to 150 GPa--well above the predicted metallization pressure of 120 GPa. Single crystal studies have shown that TATB exhibits pressure-induced Raman changes associated with two subtle structural phase transitions at 28 and 56 GPa. These phase transitions are accompanied by remarkable color changes, from yellow to orange and to dark red with increasing pressure. We suggest that the high-stability of TATB arises as a result of its hydrogen-bonded aromatic two-dimensional (2D) layered structure and highly repulsive interlayer interaction, hindering the formation of 3D networks or metallic states.     

环五甲撑五硝胺(CRX)结构和性质的DFT预示

用密度泛函理论(DFT)B3LYP方法,在6-31G*基组水平下,全优化计算了环五甲撑五硝胺(CRX)的分子几何和优化构型下的电子结构.环C-N键长为0.144～0.148 nm, N-NO2键长为0.139～0.142 nm; CRX的最高占有MO(HOMO)能级和最低未占MO(LUMO)能级之间的差值ΔEg(5.2054 eV)较大,预示CRX较稳定.基于简谐振动分析求得IR谱频率和强度.运用统计热力学方法,求得在200～1200 K的热力学性质C0p,m、 S0m和H0m.还运用Kamlet公式预示了它的爆速和爆压分别为9169 m/s和37.88 GPa.     

Nitrogen-rich salts based on energetic nitroaminodiazido[1,3,5]triazine and guanazine

Highly dense nitrogen-rich ionic compounds are potential high-performance energetic materials for use in military and industrial venues. Guanazinium salts with promising energetic anions and a family of energetic salts based on nitrogen-rich cations and the 6-nitroamino-2,4-diazido[1,3,5]triazine anion (NADAT) were prepared and fully characterized by elemental analysis, IR spectroscopy, (1)H NMR and (13)C NMR spectroscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The crystal structures of neutral NADAT (2) and its biguanidinium salt 5 were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction (2: orthorhombic, Pnma; 5: monoclinic, P2(1)). Additionally, the isomerization behavior of 2 in solution was investigated by proton-decoupled (13)C and (15)N NMR spectroscopy. All the new salts exhibit desirable physical properties, such as relatively high densities (1.63-1.78 g cm(-3)) and moderate thermal stabilities (T(d) = 130-196 °C for 3-10 and 209-257 °C for 11-15). Theoretical performance calculations (Gaussian 03 and Cheetah 5.0) gave detonation pressures and velocities for the ionic compounds 3-15 in the range of 21.0-30.3 GPa and 7675-9048 m s(-1), respectively, which makes them competitive energetic materials.     

Theoretical investigation of clusters of phosphorus and arsenic: fascination and temptation of high symmetries

We present a theoretical study of the energetic and thermodynamic stability of selected phosphorus and arsenic clusters containing 18 to 168 atoms. For this purpose we employ MP2 as well as DFT functionals BP86 and B3LYP with extended basis sets. All procedures predict the family of one-dimensional polymers X18+12n, each with 2n-1 isomers of virtually identical energy, to be more stable than other structures investigated so far. Furthermore, islands of stability result for ring-shaped clusters X24n with Dnd symmetry for n=4 (only for arsenic), 5, 6, and 7. Phosphorus and arsenic show otherwise a very similar behavior. An investigation of basis set effects shows that a doubly polarized triple zeta valence basis (TZVPP) is both necessary and sufficient. In comparison to the reliable spin component scaled MP2 (SCS-MP2) procedure, DFT methods underestimate and MP2 overestimates the stability of larger clusters; the discrepancy increases with the number of atoms. The addition of a long-range dispersion correction to B3LYP energies does not rectify the shortcomings of DFT in comparison with SCS-MP2.     

Energetic Salts Based on Furazan‐Functionalized Tetrazoles: Routes to Boost Energy

Based on the backbone of the furazan‐tetrazole structure, routes were developed to improve the properties of energetic materials. Two types of high‐density energetic salts were designed, prepared, and fully characterized. Single‐crystal X‐ray analyses support the structural characteristics for two amino salts. A majority of the salts exhibited good detonation properties, high thermal stabilities, and relatively low impact and friction sensitivities. Hydroxylammonium and hydrazinium salts, 1 – 3 and 1 – 4 , which have relatively high densities (1.84 and 1.74 g cm^?3,, respectively), acceptable impact and friction sensitivities (14 J, 160 N and 28 J, 360 N), and good detonation pressures (38.3 and 32.2 GPa) and velocities (9323 and 9094 m s^?1), have performance properties superior to 1,3,5‐trinitro‐1,3,5‐triazinane (RDX) and triaminotrinitrobenzene (TATB).     

Crystal structure of the high-pressure phase of hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (gamma-RDX)

The crystal structure of the high-pressure phase of hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (gamma-RDX), which is stable above 4 GPa at room temperature, was investigated by using infrared spectroscopy and powder X-ray diffraction measurements followed by Rietveld refinements using a diamond anvil cell (DAC). Although gamma and alpha phases were found to belong to the same space group Pbca, they exhibited a different crystal packing. The molecular structure of the gamma phase exhibited the same conformation as that of the alpha phase; however, the torsion angles of N-NO2 changed marginally.     

High-pressure vibrational spectroscopy of energetic materials: hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine

Vibrational spectroscopy has been used to investigate the room-temperature high-pressure phases of the energetic material hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX). The pressure-induced alterations in the spectral profiles were studied in a compression sequence to 30.2 GPa using Raman spectroscopy and to 26.6 GPa using far-infrared spectroscopy. At pressures near 4.0 GPa, several changes become immediately apparent in the Raman spectrum, such as large frequency shifts, mode splittings, and intensity changes, which are associated with a phase transition from alpha-RDX to gamma-RDX. Our study extends the kinetic stability of gamma-RDX to pressures near 18.0 GPa. Evidence for a new phase was found at pressures between 17.8 and 18.8 GPa and is based on the appearance of new vibrational bands and associated changes in intensity patterns. The new phase has vibrational characteristics that are similar to those of beta-RDX, suggesting the two polymorphs share a related crystal structure.     

Optimization and application of lithium parameters for the reactive force field, ReaxFF

To make a practical molecular dynamics (MD) simulation of the large-scale reactive chemical systems of Li-H and Li-C, we have optimized parameters of the reactive force field (ReaxFF) for these systems. The parameters for this force field were obtained from fitting to the results of density functional theory (DFT) calculations on the structures and energy barriers for a number of Li-H and Li-C molecules, including Li(2), LiH, Li(2)H(2), H(3)C-Li, H(3)C-H(2)C-Li, H(2)C=C-LiH, HCCLi, H(6)C(5)-Li, and Li(2)C(2), and to the equations of state and lattice parameters for condensed phases of Li. The accuracy of the developed ReaxFF was also tested by comparison to the dissociation energies of lithium-benzene sandwich compounds and the collision behavior of lithium atoms with a C(60) buckyball.