Azido Liquid Explosives

The oxidizer component in liquid explosives is referred to as the materials that can provide oxygen in a detonation reaction, commonly including dinitrogen tetroxide, nitric acid, nitrogen dioxide, tetranitromethane, hydrogen peroxide, hydrazine nitrate, hydrazine perchlorate, and nitrate esters. The typical raw materials of oxidizers include tris-(2,2,2-trinitroethyl) orthoformate (TNEOF), tetra-(2,2,2-trinitro-ethyl) orthocarbonate (TNEOC), urea perchlorate, nitro alcohol, and azido nitrate. The typical oxidizers are listed in Table 1.1. 

Several explosive species in which three or more azido groups are bonded to tellurium have been well characterized.59 The salt [Te(N3)3][SbF6] is formed from the reaction of Te4[SbF6]2 with potassium azide in liquid sulfur dioxide. The neutral binary tellurium azide Te(N3)4 is prepared by the reaction of TeF4 (in CFC13)60 or TeF6 (in CH3CN)61 with trimethylsilyl azide. 

Organic derivatives of 5-azidotetrazole have been reported by Friedrich [99]. They are more stable and less sensitive than the metallic salts. The methyl and ethyl derivatives are very strong igniting explosives. Ethylene tetrazylazide, that forms an oily liquid, possesses extraordinary brisance and is easily ignited by spark and flames. It easily gelatinizes nitrocellulose [1,99]. Impact sensitivities of 5-azido-l-methyltetrazole and 5-azido-l-picryltetrazole in comparison with the copper salt are summarized in Table 8.19 [79]. 

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