L-171 Insensitive Explosive Materials: IV - Azoxytriazolon

This report summarizes theoretical and experimental data gathered from the public domain on a new insensitive explosive azoxytriazolon, AZTO, C4H4N8O3.

The title compound is isomeric with DAAF but in comparison to that offers a higher density, rho = 1.905 g cm^-3 versus 1.747 g cm^-3 and higher thermal stability than latter (DSC-onset =267°C).

This material is a newcomer to the field of insensitive materials and was synthesized accidentally during electrochemical workup of aqueous NTO solutions [3]. It is unique in that it possesses neither a nitro group nor an oxadiazole unit. Although, lacking an energetic moiety, it possesses a positive enthalpy of formation of +11 kJ mol^-1 opposed to +444 kJ mol^-1 for DAAF, which places AZTO at the lower end of explosive performance in comparison to many of the other insensitive materials currently considered [12]. However given its simple synthesis it could turn out to have some potential for insensitive large scale charges such as mines and general purpose bombs. Based on its very low calculated CJ-temperature of 2670 K ignition of aluminum fuel in blast charges exclusively based on AZTO as energetic filler will probably fail.

For part III of Insensitive Explosive Materials please see Ref. [1].