Determining the mechanical and decomposition properties of high energetic materials (α-RDX, β-HMX, and ϵ-CL-20) using a neural network potential

Molecular simulations of high energetic materials (HEMs) are limited by efficiency and accuracy. Recently, neural network potential (NNP) models have achieved molecular simulations of millions of atoms while maintaining the accuracy of density functional theory (DFT) levels. Herein, an NNP model covering typical HEMs containing C, H, N, and O elements is developed. The mechanical and decomposition properties of 1,3,5-trinitroperhydro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX), hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (HMX), and 2,4,6,8,10,12-hexanitrohexaazaisowurtzitane (CL-20) are determined by employing the molecular dynamics (MD) simulations based on the NNP model. The calculated results show that the mechanical properties of α-RDX, β-HMX, and ϵ-CL-20 agree with previous experiments and theoretical results, including cell parameters, equations of state, and elastic constants. In the thermal decomposition simulations, it is also found that the initial decomposition reactions of the three crystals are N-NO₂ homolysis, corresponding radical intermediates formation, and NO₂-induced reactions. This decomposition trajectory is mainly divided into two stages separating from the peak of NO₂: pyrolysis and oxidation. Overall, the NNP model for C/H/N/O elements in this work is an alternative reactive force field for RDX, HMX, and CL-20 HEMs, and it opens up new potential for future kinetic study of nitramine explosives.