Preparation and Characterization of Cellulose/RDX Composite Aerogel Spheres

As a high-energy explosive, 1,3,5-Trinitroperhydro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX) has been widely used in military and civilian applications such as explosives, rocket fuels and gun propellants due to its good comprehensive properties. However, at present, the application of RDX has been encumbered by its high sensitivity and crystal defects. Herein, inspired by the unique structure and eco-friendliness of cellulose aerogel, for the first time, cellulose aerogel was introduced into RDX to prepare cellulose/RDX composite aerogel spheres by the solution impregnation method. The cellulose/RDX composite aerogel spheres were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), elemental analysis, thermogravimetric and differential scanning calorimetry (TG-DSC), X-ray diffractometer (XRD), and a vertical impact sensitivity tester. The material detonation speed was calculated using EXPLO5. The results showed that the surface of cellulose/RDX composite aerogel spheres was smooth, and the internal three-dimensional cross-linked void of the cellulose aerogel spheres was well filled with RDX particles. Compared with RDX raw materials, the particle size of RDX in the cellulose/RDX composite aerogel spheres was greatly reduced. The N content in the cellulose/RDX composite aerogel spheres was as high as 32.24 %. Thermal analysis results showed that the activation energy of cellulose/RDX composite aerogel spheres increased by 31.28 KJ/mol. The crystal structure of RDX in the cellulose/RDX composite aerogel spheres remained unchanged. Moreover, the impact sensitivity H50 of the cellulose/RDX composite aerogel spheres increased by more than 65 cm.