Hydrazinium 5-Aminotetrazolate: an Insensitive Energetic Material Containing 83.72% Nitrogen

Hydrazinium 5-aminotetrazolate (2) was synthesized via two facile routes. Both the reaction of 5-amino-1H-tetrazole (1) with hydrazine hydrate in aqueous solution and the reaction of 1 with diluted hydrazine solution in THF yield 2 in excellent purities and yields. 2 was characterized comprehensively by X-ray diffraction, IR, Raman and multinuclear NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, elemental analysis and differential scanning calorimetry. The heat of formation was calculated (CMS-4M) using the atomization method to be 373 kJ mol-1. With this value and the X-ray density several detonation parameter (heats of explosion, detonation pressure, detonation velocity, explosion temperature) were calculated with the EXPLO5 computer software. An incredible high value (9516 m s-1) was obtained for the detonation velocity. Therefore experimentally tests to determine the velocity of detonation were performed. In addition the use of 2 in solid propellant compositions was calculated and tested in combination with oxidizers, e.g. ammonium dinitramide. Lastly the sensitivities towards impact, friction and electrostatic discharge were determined with the BAM drophammer, friction tester and an ESD machine.