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Thermal decomposition of the new explosive 2-(5-cyanotetrazolato)-pentaammine cobalt (III) perchlorate

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:6663760
A study was made of the thermal decomposition of the new explosive 2-(5-cyanotetrazolato)-pentaamminecobalt (III) perchlorate, or CP, which is being developed for use in detonating components. Loose powder samples from a single lot were heated for various periods of time and analyzed to determine rates of decomposition. Then several techniques were used, including thermal analysis, UV-visible spectroscopy, laboratory chemical analysis, gas chromatography, and mass spectroscopy, to analyze both the gaseous and solid products of decomposition. It was found that the decomposition of CP is a heterogeneous solid-to-gas type reaction which proceeds in three stages with multiple parallel and consecutive reactions. Stage I is an endothermic stage which includes dissociation of ammonia ligands from the cobalt atom, rearrangement of the 5-cyanotetrazolato ligand to produce a nitrogen molecule and an unidentified solid species, and the oxidation-reduction reaction of cobalt (III) with ammonia to produce cobalt (II), nitrogen, and ammonium ion. Stage II, with a higher activation energy, is the oxidation of the ligands around the cobalt atom by the perchlorate ion. Stage III is the oxidation of the residual solid products from Stage I by the perchlorate ion.
Research Organization:
Sandia Labs., Albuquerque, NM (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
EY-76-C-04-0789
OSTI ID:
6663760
Report Number(s):
SAND-78-0466
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English