Energetic Materials Laboratory
Department of Chemistry
Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, India
Dr. Srinivas Dharavath
Associate Professor
Our research group design and synthesize various nitrogen-rich azoles, fused and strained rings containing small molecules which are highly dense, thermally stable, and insensitive towards mechanical stimuli for 'Green' and 'Environmentally friendly' high energy materials (HEM) applications. So far, we have synthesized various poly-nitrogen containing small energetic molecules and salts from commercially available cheap starting materials as HEMs in a simple and straightforward manner. Few synthesized molecules are a better replacement for the existing benchmark energetic materials that meet the requirements of present and future civil, defense, and space applications.
Recent Articles
Revisiting the Sensitive Nature of H-FOX: Interplay of Nitro and Hydrazine Functionalities to Construct Insensitive Energetic Material
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In this study, we successfully synthesized and characterized 2-nitroethene-1,1-diyl)bis(hydrazine) (2) in a single step with high yield. Its dual functionality was evaluated as both a hypergolic fuel with WFNA and a secondary explosive comparable to RDX. Offering a safer alternative to H-FOX, it exhibits a decomposition temperature of 160 °C, density 1.60 g cm-³, detonation velocity 8548 m s-1, and specific impulse 220 s, with excellent insensitivity to impact and friction, making it a promising candidate for hybrid propulsion and energetic materials.
Synergizing Hydrazine Co-Crystal with Hydrazine Salt of TNAE: A Novel Strategy for Developing Highly Insensitive Explosives
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The first-ever combination of di-hydrazine co-crystallization with the tetrahydrazinium salt of 1,1,2,2-tetranitroaminoethane (TNAE) has been successfully achieved, resulting in highly stable energetic materials with excellent performance. This transformation converts the highly sensitive and hygroscopic TNAE moiety into balanced compounds 2 and 3, featuring favorable densities (1.64–1.67 g/cm³), exceptional nitrogen and oxygen content (>88%), outstanding detonation properties (VOD: 9481–9637 m s-1; DP: 32.49–32.97 GPa), and high insensitivity (IS > 40 J; FS > 360 N). These enhanced properties position the compounds as strong alternatives to high-performing É›-CL-20 (VOD: 9455 m s-1; DP: 46.7 GPa; IS: 4 J). This pioneering method underscores the synergistic potential of co-crystallisation and energetic salt, opening new avenues in the development of advanced energetic materials.