Advances in science and technology of modern energetic materials: An overview

Energetic materials such as explosives, propellants and pyrotechnics are widely used for both civilian and military explosives applications. The present review focuses briefly on the synthesis aspects and some of the physico-chemical properties of energetic materials of the class: (a) aminopyridine-N-oxides, (b) energetic azides, (c) high nitrogen content energetic materials, (d) imidazoles, (e) insensitive energetic materials, (f) oxidizers, (g) nitramines, (h) nitrate esters and (i) thermally stable explosives. A brief comment is also made on the emerging nitration concepts. This paper also reviews work done on primary explosives of current and futuristic interest based on energetic co-ordination compounds. Lead-free co-ordination compounds are the candidates of tomorrow's choice in view of their additional advantage of being eco-friendly. Another desirable attribute of lead free class of energetic compounds is the presence of almost equivalent quantity of fuel and oxidizer moieties. These compounds may find wide spectrum of futuristic applications in the area of energetic materials. The over all aim of the high energy materials research community is to develop the more powerful energetic materials/explosive formulations/propellant formulations in comparison to currently known benchmark materials/compositions. Therefore, an attempt is also made to highlight the important contributions made by the various researchers in the frontier areas energetic ballistic modifiers, energetic binders and energetic plasticizers.