Synthesis and characterization of sonochemically-aminated 1,3,5-triamino-2,4,6-trinitrobenzene

Abstract A novel method has been achieved for the preparation of 1,3,5-triamino-2,4,6-trinitrobenzene (TATB) from TCTNB in toluene by animation with ammonium hydroxide solution under the influence of ultrasonic irradiation. Samples of this sonochemically-aminated TATB (FP-TATB) were studied for its powder characteristics. It was found that the arithmetic median diameter (vol%) and BET surface area of FP-TATB are 15 micrometers and 1.2 m2/g, respectively. To evaluate shock initiation, samples of FP-TATB were pressed to high density (1.8g/cc) and subjected to initiation spot-size testing, and the results were compared with those from micronized TATB (UF-TATB), an IHE booster material. Data from this test indicated that the FP-TATB is slightly more sensitive to shock initiation than the UF-TATB as measured by the dent depth of the witness plate.