Ab initio molecular dynamics simulations study on initial decompositions of β‐HMX at high temperature coupled with high pressures

We performed ab initio molecular dynamics simulations to investigate initial decomposition mechanisms and subsequent chemical processes of β‐HMX (cyclotetramethylene tetranitramine) (octahydro‐1,3,5,7‐tetranitro‐1,3,5,7‐tetrazocine) crystals at high temperature coupled with high pressures. It was found that the initial decomposition step is the simultaneous C–H and N–NO₂ bond cleavage at 3,500 K. When the pressure (1–10 GPa) is applied, the first reaction steps are primarily the C–N and C–H bond fission at 3,500 K. The C–H bond cleavage is a triggering decomposition step of the HMX crystals at 3,500 K coupled with 16 GPa. This indicates that the C–H bonds are much easier to be broken and the hydrogen radicals are much more active. The applied pressures (1–10 GPa) accelerate the decompositions of HMX at 3,500 K. The decomposition pathways and time evolution of the main chemical species demonstrate that the temperature is the foremost factor that affects the decomposition at high pressures (1–10 GPa). However, the decomposition of HMX is dependent on both the temperature (3,500 K) and the pressure (16 GPa). This work will enrich the knowledge of the decompositions of condensed energetic materials under extreme conditions.     

Coupling Effect of Non-Ignition Impact and Heat on the Decay of FOX-7

Non-ignition impact and heat stimuli are the most common external stimuli loaded on energetic materials. Nevertheless, there is thereby an urgent need, but it is still a significant challenge to comprehend their coupling effects on the decay and safety mechanisms of energetic materials. Then, reactive molecular dynamics simulation was employed to mimic practical situations and reveal the impact heat coupling effect on the decay mechanism of FOX-7. The temperature and the degree of compression of the crystal caused by the impact are considered variables in the simulation. Both increasing the degree of compression and elevating the temperature promotes the decay of FOX-7. However, their underlying response mechanism is not the same. The acceleration of decomposition is due to the elevated potential energy of the FOX-7 molecules because of elevating the temperature. In addition to the elevated potential energy of the molecule, the main contribution to the decomposition from the compression is to change the decomposition path. The results of the analysis show that compression reduces the stability of the C=C bond, so that chemical reactions related to the double bond occur. In addition, interestingly, the compression along the c direction has an almost equal effect on the final product as the compression along the b direction. Finally, the decay reaction networks are proposed to provide insights into the decomposition mechanism on atomic level. All these findings are expected to pave a way to understand the underlying response mechanism for the FOX-7 against external stimuli.     

K(FOX-7)·H_2O的合成、晶体结构和热行为

利用1,1-二氨基-2,2-二硝基乙烯(FOX-7)和KOH在甲醇水体系中合成了一种新型有机钾盐,并培养出K(FOX-7)·H2O单晶.该晶体属三斜晶系,P1空间群,晶胞参数:a=0.7493(2)nm,b=0.9767(3)nm,c=2.0035(5)nm,α=90.017(4)°,β=97.129(4)°,γ=90.019(4)°,V=1.4548(7)nm3,Dc=1.865g/cm3,μ=0.724mm-1,F(000)=832,Z=8,R1=0.0523,wR2=0.1082.K(FOX-7)·H2O的热分解行为可分为一个脱水和两个放热分解过程,且第一放热分解反应的表观活化能和指前因子分别为135.9kJ/mol和1012.17s-1.热爆炸的临界温度为212.02℃.同时,利用微量热法测定了K(FOX-7)·H2O的比热容,298.15K时的摩尔热容为210.88J·mol-1·K-1.用测得的比热容方程计算了298.15K为基础的FOX-7的热力学函数,并得到了绝热至爆时间为15.7～16.8s之间的某一值.     

Molecular dynamics simulation of shock compression of metals: Iron and iron-sulfur solutions

The embedded atom model potential suggested earlier was improved to correctly describe iron at high pressures and temperatures. Correction was introduced using the shock compression data. The properties of body- and face-centered cubic (BCC and FCC) lattices and liquid iron at compression degrees up to 50% of the normal volume and temperatures up to 10000 K were calculated. At degrees of compression 0.7–0.6 and 0 K, the FCC lattice is thermodynamically stable. The temperature of fusion increases to ≈9700 K at compression to 50% of initial volume (pressure 585 GPa). The pressure of pure iron at 5000 K and density 12.5 g/cm³ is ≈250 GPa and is substantially lower than in the center of the Earth according to the geophysical data (360 GPa). An embedded atom model potential for a 10 at % solution of sulfur in iron which allows the properties of the melt in the center of the Earth to be described correctly is suggested; the viscosity of the melt under these conditions is not high (0.0156 Pa s); these results are close to those obtained in ab initio calculations. The possibility of partial Earth core crystallization is shown.     

Covalent Organic Framework (COF‐1) under High Pressure

COF‐1 has a structure with rigid 2D layers composed of benzene and B₃O₃ rings and weak van der Waals bonding between the layers. The as‐synthesized COF‐1 structure contains pores occupied by solvent molecules. A high surface area empty‐pore structure is obtained after vacuum annealing. High‐pressure XRD and Raman experiments with mesitylene‐filled (COF‐1‐M) and empty‐pore COF‐1 demonstrate partial amorphization and collapse of the framework structure above 12–15 GPa. The ambient pressure structure of COF‐1‐M can be reversibly recovered after compression up to 10–15 GPa. Remarkable stability of highly porous COF‐1 structure at pressures at least up to 10 GPa is found even for the empty‐pore structure. The bulk modulus of the COF‐1 structure (11.2(5) GPa) and linear incompressibilities (k_[100]=111(5) GPa, k_[001]=15.0(5) GPa) were evaluated from the analysis of XRD data and cross‐checked against first‐principles calculations.     

Modeling the molecular dynamics of liquid metals at high pressures: Liquid potassium

A way of building potassium models by molecular dynamics using the embedded atom model (EAM) is developed. The contribution from pairwise interaction is presented as power series at an interpartial distance. Embedded potential parameters are determined by the experimental dependence of pressure on volume for a static compression of potassium at 300 K to a pressure of 53 GPa (potential A). By using potential A to describe shock compression and choosing the appropriate temperature at given degree of compression (up to 40000 K at compression to 0.29 of initial volume) it is shown that the model pressure can be made equal to the pressure indicated by the Rankine-Hugoniot relations. The model energy is lower than the actual energy determined by the relations, and the difference in energies increases with temperature almost linearly; such growth corresponds to an excess average heat capacity of about 11.6 J/(mol K), compared to the model heat capacity. It is established that the reasons for this divergence are the inability of the EAM potential to describe the temperature dependency of metal properties precisely, and the appearance of an energy contribution upon heating that is dependent on temperature but not on atom coordinates. Adding another summand to the potential energy (which is dependent on temperature only) allows us to match the heat capacities of real potassium and the models. The dependence of potassium’s melting temperature on pressure is calculated. The calculated melting temperature at 41.2 GPa is 1231 K. Additional data (e.g., the actual temperature on the Rankine-Hugoniot curve and precise quantum mechanics calculations of heat capacity at extreme conditions) is required to eliminate potential ambiguity.     

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.     

Piezochromism in Nickel Salicylaldoximato Complexes: Tuning Crystal‐Field Splitting with High Pressure

The crystal structures of bis(3‐fluoro‐salicylaldoximato)nickel(II) and bis(3‐methoxy‐salicylaldoximato)nickel(II) have been determined at room temperature between ambient pressure and approximately 6 GPa. The principal effect of pressure is to reduce intermolecular contact distances. In the fluoro system molecules are stacked, and the Ni???Ni distance decreases from 3.19 Å at ambient pressure to 2.82 Å at 5.4 GPa. These data are similar to those observed in bis(dimethylglyoximato)nickel(II) over a similar pressure range, though contrary to that system, and in spite of their structural similarity, the salicyloximato does not become conducting at high pressure. Ni–ligand distances also shorten, on average by 0.017 and 0.011 Å for the fluoro and methoxy complexes, respectively. Bond compression is small if the bond in question is directed towards an interstitial void. A band at 620 nm, which occurs in the visible spectrum of each derivative, can be assigned to a transition to an antibonding molecular orbital based on the metal 3d(x²?y²) orbital. Time‐dependent density functional theory calculations show that the energy of this orbital is sensitive to pressure, increasing in energy as the Ni–ligand distances are compressed, and consequently increasing the energy of the transition. The resulting blueshift of the UV‐visible band leads to piezochromism, and crystals of both complexes, which are green at ambient pressure, become red at 5 GPa.     

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.     

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.     

From magnets to metals: the response of tetragonal bisdiselenazolyl radicals to pressure

The bromo-substituted bisdiselenazolyl radical 4b (R(1) = Et, R(2) = Br) is isostructural with the corresponding chloro-derivative 4a (R(1) = Et, R(2) = Cl), both belonging to the tetragonal space group P(4)2(1)m and consisting of slipped π-stack arrays of undimerized radicals. Variable temperature, ambient pressure conductivity measurements indicate a similar room temperature conductivity near 10(-4) S cm(-1) for the two compounds, but 4b displays a slightly higher thermal activation energy E(act) (0.23 eV) than 4a (0.19 eV). Like 4a, radical 4b behaves as a bulk ferromagnet with an ordering temperature of T(C) = 17.5 K. The coercive field H(c) (at 2 K) of 1600 Oe for 4b is, however, significantly greater than that observed for 4a (1370 Oe). High pressure (0-15 GPa) structural studies on both compounds have shown that compression reduces the degree of slippage of the π-stacks, which gives rise to changes in the magnetic and conductive properties of the radicals. Relatively mild loadings (<2 GPa) cause an increase in T(C) for both compounds, that of 4b reaching a maximum value of 24 K; further compression to 5 GPa leads to a decrease in T(C) and loss of magnetization. Variable temperature and pressure conductivity measurements indicate a decrease in E(act) with increasing pressure, with eventual conversion of both compounds from a Mott insulating state to one displaying weakly metallic behavior in the region of 7 GPa (for 4a) and 9 GPa (for 4b).     

Equation of state and structural changes in diaminodinitroethylene under compression

Structural changes in 1,1-diamino-2,2-dinitroethylene (DADNE, FOX-7) compressed to high pressure in diamond anvil cells were investigated using angle-dispersive x-ray diffraction analysis, Raman spectroscopy, and optical polarizing microscopy. The x-ray results show several changes above 1 GPa. When the x-ray data are indexed according to the ambient-pressure structure, DADNE shows anisotropic compression, with higher compression along the b axis than along the a or c axis. An ambient-temperature isothermal equation of state of DADNE was generated from these data. In addition, the experimentally obtained Raman spectra were matched with vibrational normal modes calculated using quantum chemistry calculations. The shifts in vibrational modes indicate changes in H-wagging vibrations with pressure.     

Phase diagram and crystal phases of trans-1,3 butadiene probed by FTIR and Raman spectroscopy

In the present work the first spectroscopic data concerning solid butadiene are presented. FTIR and Raman spectra of solid trans-1,3 butadiene in the ordered phase I were recorded at atmospheric pressure down to 12 K. The FTIR technique was used to characterize the phase diagram of butadiene in the 0–7 GPa and 150–300 K pressure–temperature range. Besides phase I another solid phase (phase II), orientationally disordered, was found to be stable at pressures above 0.5 GPa between the liquid and the ordered phase I. A monoclinic C_2h⁵ crystal structure with two molecules per cell sitting on C_i sites is proposed for phase I.     

1,1-二氨基-2,2-二硝基乙烯的比热容、热力学性质及绝热至爆时间研究

应用Micro-DSCⅢ微热量仪的两种连续比热容测定模式对1,1-二氨基-2,2-二硝基乙烯(FOX-7)比热容进行了测定. 得到298.15 K时FOX-7的标准摩尔比热容分别为176.56和176.02 J•mol^－1•K^－1, 相对偏差为0.31%. 运用Gaussian 03W程序的DFT-RB3LYP/6-311＋＋G**方法对FOX-7在283～353 K温度范围内进行了比热容理论计算, 结果为147.11～170.54 J•mol^－1•K^－1, 与Micro-DSCⅢ微热量仪测定值偏差在13.27%～15.46%之间. 用测得的比热容方程计算了298.15 K为基础的FOX-7的热力学函数并得到了绝热至爆时间.     

Measuring structural inhomogeneity of a helical conjugated polymer at high pressure and temperature

We report on X‐ray scattering measurements of helical poly[9,9‐bis(2‐ethylhexyl)‐fluorene‐2,7‐diyl] by mapping the sample with 10 μm spatial resolution from 0.3 GPa to 36 GPa. We follow the strongest 00l reflection, which moves toward higher scattering angles with pressure indicating planarization of helical polyfluorene. Lateral inhomogeneity is increased for >10 GPa concomitant with the solidification of the pressure transmitting medium (a 4:1 mixture of methanol and ethanol). We also follow the 00l reflection with increasing temperature at the constant pressure of 4.3 GPa in neon. We observe a sharp shift toward higher scattering angles indicative of a phase transition at 167–176 °C. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2019 , 57, 392–396     

From monosilane to crystalline silicon,part II: Kinetic considerations on thermal decomposition of pressurized monosilane

Kinetic aspects of the thermal decomposition of monosilane at 690–830 K and initial pressures of 0.1–3.7 MPa in a free‐space reactor are considered. Neglecting the preparatory initiation period for the reaction (which is difficult to evaluate under the present dynamic conditions), the onset temperature for the decomposition is stipulated to some 700–710 K, independent of the initial monosilane pressure. The overall reaction appears to be of first order throughout the progressing decomposition process. We observe considerably lower reaction rates under the high‐pressure conditions than existing models in the literature suggest. A modified model is proposed that simulates the observed reaction rates within ±1% and moreover predicts credible concentrations of the involved gaseous species. A key feature of the modified model is incorporation of two third‐body assisted surface reactions, which generate monosilane from disilane and disilane from trisilane. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 38: 309–321, 2006     

Compressibility of Gas Hydrates

Experimental data on the pressure dependence of unit cell parameters for the gas hydrates of ethane (cubic structure I, pressure range 0–2 GPa), xenon (cubic structure I, pressure range 0–1.5 GPa) and the double hydrate of tetrahydrofuran+xenon (cubic structure II, pressure range 0–3 GPa) are presented. Approximation of the data using the cubic Birch–Murnaghan equation, P=1.5B₀[(V₀/V)^7/3?(V₀/V)^5/3], gave the following results: for ethane hydrate V₀=1781 ų, B₀=11.2 GPa; for xenon hydrate V₀=1726 ų, B₀=9.3 GPa; for the double hydrate of tetrahydrofuran+xenon V₀=5323 ų, B₀=8.8 GPa. In the last case, the approximation was performed within the pressure range 0–1.5 GPa; it is impossible to describe the results within a broader pressure range using the cubic Birch–Murnaghan equation. At the maximum pressure of the existence of the double hydrate of tetrahydrofuran+xenon (3.1 GPa), the unit cell volume was 86 % of the unit cell volume at zero pressure. Analysis of the experimental data obtained by us and data available from the literature showed that 1) the bulk modulus of gas hydrates with classical polyhedral structures, in most cases, are close to each other and 2) the bulk modulus is mainly determined by the elasticity of the hydrogen‐bonded water framework. Variable filling of the cavities with guest molecules also has a substantial effect on the bulk modulus. On the basis of the obtained results, we concluded that the bulk modulus of gas hydrates with classical polyhedral structures and existing at pressures up to 1.5 GPa was equal to (9±2) GPa. In cases when data on the equations of state for the hydrates were unavailable, the indicated values may be recommended as the most probable ones.     

The Local Atomic Structures of Liquid CO at 3.6 GPa and Polymerized CO at 0 to 30 GPa from High‐Pressure Pair Distribution Function Analysis

The local atomic structures of liquid and polymerized CO and its decomposition products were analyzed at pressures up to 30 GPa in diamond anvil cells by X‐ray diffraction, pair distribution function (PDF) analysis, single‐crystal diffraction, and Raman spectroscopy. The structural models were obtained by density functional calculations. Analysis of the PDF of a liquid CO‐rich phase revealed that the local structure has a pronounced short‐range order. The PDFs of polymerized amorphous CO at several pressures revealed the compression of the molecular structure; covalent bond lengths did not change significantly with pressure. Experimental PDFs could be reproduced with simulations from DFT‐optimized structural models. Likely structural features of polymerized CO are thus 4‐ to 6‐membered rings (lactones, cyclic ethers, and rings decorated with carbonyl groups) and long bent chains with carbonyl groups and bridging atoms. Laser heating polymerized CO at pressures of 7 to 9 GPa and 20 GPa resulted in the formation of CO₂.     

Synthesis,structural characterization,and thermal properties of a new energetic zinc-FOX-7 complex

A new energetic zinc-FOX-7 complex (FOX-7 = 1,1-diamino-2,2-dinitroethylene), Zn(NH₃)₂(FOX-7)₂, was synthesized and structurally characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction. Zn²⁺ was coordinated by four nitrogens from two ammonias and two FOX-7^? anions, forming a distorted tetrahedron. Thermal decomposition of Zn(NH₃)₂(FOX-7)₂ was studied by differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetry/differential thermogravimetry. The apparent activation energy and pre-exponential constant of the first decomposition process are 144.8 kJ M^?1 and 10^13.99?s^?1, respectively. The self-accelerating decomposition temperature and critical temperature of thermal explosion of Zn(NH₃)₂(FOX-7)₂ are 183.2 and 195.8?°C, respectively. The thermal stability of Zn(NH₃)₂(FOX-7)₂ is good, but Zn(NH₃)₂(FOX-7)₂ is still sensitive.     

Effect of pressure on the luminescence of 9,10-dichloroanthracene crystals

Luminescence spectra of β-9,10-dichloroanthracene have been studied at room temperature in the pressure range ≈ 0–10 GPa. The initial shift to lower energies of the excimer emission is linear (≈500 cm⁻¹/GPa) up to ≈3 GPa. Above this pressure a sharper emission grows at the high-energy side at the expense of the excimer luminescence. The suppression of the excimer state at pressures above ≈ 7 GPa is attributed to the strong repulsive interactions between the molecular pair. The new emission is thought to arise from a more loosely bound configuration in the excited state which could originate from a crystal phase change around 3 GPa.