A safe and efficient liquid-solid synthesis for copper azide films with excellent electrostatic stability. (December 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Yu, Chunpei; Zhang, Wenchao; Guo, Shiying; Hu, Bin; Zheng, Zilong; Ye, Jiahai; Zhang, Shengli; Zhu, Junwu
• Is Part Of: Nano energy. Volume 66(2019)
• Publication Date: 2019-12
• Subjects: Electrosynthesis -- Nanoenergetic materials -- Primary explosives -- Copper azide -- Energy release; Nanoscience -- Periodicals; Nanotechnology -- Periodicals; Nanostructured materials -- Periodicals; Power resources -- Technological innovations -- Periodicals; Nanoscience; Nanostructured materials; Nanotechnology; Power resources -- Technological innovations; Periodicals; 621.042
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nanoen.2019.104135
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2211-2855

Abstract

Abstract: The traditional gas-solid synthesis of copper azide (CA) always requires rigorous conditions, such as the use of hazardous HN3 gas, and time-consuming preparation processes (>12 h). Both disadvantages impede its eco-friendly large-scale production and result in high safety risks for the practical synthesis. Here, a safe and efficient (<40 min) liquid-solid strategy is developed to fabricate CA films. Employing CuO nanorods (NRs) arrays as precursors, a nest-like CA film with remarkable energetic performance and excellent electrostatic stability can be generated in situ in a NaN3 solution via an electro-assisted azidation method. The resulting CA film possesses an energy release of 1650 J g −1 and effective detonation performance. In particular, the electrostatic sensitivity (E50 ) value (0.81 mJ) is 16 times higher than that of the original CA powder (0.05 mJ), which is attributed to not only the unique nest-like structure of the CA film but also the uniform in situ incorporation of CuO. In addition, density functional theory (DFT) calculations are employed to provide insights into the detailed reaction pathways of the liquid-solid azidation process. Importantly, the constructed CA film can be directly integrated into a micro ignitor to realize nanoenergetics-on-a-chip due to the safe synthetic process as well as its high compatibility with microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology. Graphical abstract: The safe and efficient electrosynthesis of copper azide (CA) film through using a CuO nanorod templet as a precursor is presented. Compared to traditional gas-solid azidation method, this liquid-solid azidation process not only avoids the use of dangerous HN3 gas but also greatly reduces the reaction time (from >12 h to <40 min). The as-obtained CA film exhibits excellent energetic performance and superior electrostatic stability. In addition, the detailed reaction pathways involved in this liquid-solid azidation process is probed by DFT calculations. This work offers new opportunities for fundamentally understand detonation or ignition at the nanoscale. Image 1 Highlights: The liquid-solid azidation strategy is firstly proposed to prepare copper azide films materials. This azidation method not only avoids the use of dangerous HN3 gas but also greatly reduces the reaction time. The copper azide film exhibits excellent electrostatic stability and remarkable energetic performance. DFT calculations are performed to illustrate the reaction pathways involved in this liquid-solid azidation process.