Z. Naturforsch. 2014,
69b, 125 – 127
doi:10.5560/ZNB.2014-3222
Reaction of Copper(I) Nitrotetrazolate (DBX-1) with Sodium m-Periodate
Thomas M.
Klapötke1,
Davin G.
Piercey1,
Neha
Mehta2,
Karl D.
Oyler2, and
Jesse J.
Sabatini3
1 Department of Chemistry, Energetic
Materials Research, Ludwig-Maximilian University of Munich,
Butenandtstr. 5–13, 81377 Munich, Germany
2 Explosives Development Branch,
U. S. Army RDECOM-ARDEC, Picatinny Arsenal, Picatinny, NJ 07806-5000,
USA
3 Pyrotechnics Technology & Prototyping Division, U. S. Army RDECOM-ARDEC, Picatinny Arsenal, NJ 07806-5000, USA
Received August 13, 2013 / published online December 30, 2013
The reaction of the lead-free primary explosive copper(I) 5-nitrotetrazolate (DBX-1) with sodium m-periodate yields a green precipitate of copper(II) iodate. The energetic properties of the copper(I) nitrotetrazolate starting material are lost since the nitrotetrazolate is removed into the aqueous phase during rinsing, leaving only non-explosive copper(II) iodate and copper(II) periodate. Based on the results of this investigation, the use of oxidizing components in DBX-1 formulations may be limited due to the readiness of copper(I) to be oxidized to copper(II).
Key words: Copper(I) Nitrotetrazolate, DBX-1, Lead Azide Replacements, Sodium Periodate, Periodate