Preparation of RDX/Resorcinol-formaldehyde (RF) nano-composite energetic materials by Sol-Gel method

Nano-composite energetic material, hexahydro-1, 3, 5-trinitro-l, 3, 5-triazine/resorcinol-formaldehyde (RDX/RF) aerogel, was prepared by crystallization of RDX in the N, N-dimethyllformamide (DMF) within the nano-dimensional pores of resorcinol-formaldehyde (RF) gel matrix. The structures of RDX/RF aerogel were characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), and BET method. Experimental results show that the grid size formed by RF ranges from several to several decade nm and the mean size of nano-RDX in RDX/RF is 38 nm. The specific surface area for RF aerogel is 551.5 m · g^-1, and the specific surface area for RDX/RF aerogel is 142.7 m · g^-1. Compared to the corresponding values of the mechanical mixtures with the same components, the exothermic peak of RDX/RF aerogel moves down about 25 °C, and the mechanical sensitivity decreases a little.