Thermal characterization of the promising energetic material TKX-50

The thermal behavior of dihydroxylammonium 5,50-bistetrazole-1,1'-diolate (TKX-50) was measured by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermal gravimetric analysis-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (TG-FTIR) and thermal gravimetric analysisdifferential scanning calorimetry-mass spectrometry (TG-DSC-MS). The critical temperature of thermal explosion (T-b) and the initial decomposition temperature (T-p0) were determined to be 523.39 and 513.80 K, respectively. The apparent activation energy (E) and preexponential factor (A) of the exothermic decomposition reaction, and activation entropy (Delta S-not equal), activation enthalpy (Delta H-not equal), activation Gibbs free energy (Delta G(not equal)) at T-P0 of the reaction and the critical temperature of thermal explosion (T-b) were calculated: E-K = 237.59 kJ mol(-1), E-O = 234.11 kJ mol(-1), Delta S-not equal = 209.83 J K-1 mol(-1), Delta H-not equal = 233.32 kJ mol(-1), Delta G(not equal) = 126.53 kJ mol(-1). TG-DSC-FTIR/MS analysis of thermal decomposition products of TKX-50 reveals that the main decomposition products are N-2, H2O, NH3, NH2, N2O and NO.