Development of super-heat-resistant purine-based coordination polymers for applications in energetic materials

Abstract

Recent studies highlight the potential of nitrogen-rich, high-energy coordination polymers (CPs) for the development of next-generation energetic materials. Compared to traditional organic explosives, they provide improved density, sensitivity, oxygen balance, and heat of detonation. However, the tuning of high-energy CPs with respect to their energetic properties and the decoding of their structure–function relationship are still in the nascent phase. This work highlights the role of coordination polymerization in tailoring key energetic and physicochemical properties, including density, mechanical insensitivity, and thermal stability. Purine (a naturally occurring and widely available ligand) was used to synthesize two energetic coordination polymers (ECPs): ECP-1 [Ag(L1)(ClO4)2]n and ECP-2 [Ag(L2)(NO3)2]n. Crystal structure analysis revealed that ECP-1 forms a wavelike three-dimensional network, while ECP-2 exhibits a solvent-free compact lamellar 3D structure. Both ECPs exhibit excellent thermal stability (Td = 320.4–405.2 °C) with significantly improved densities (2.36–2.37 g cm−3), acceptable detonation velocities (6707–7691 m s−1) and detonation pressures (22.5–32 GPa), while being insensitive to mechanical stimuli (IS = 40 J; FS = 360 N). Additionally, this study provides a pathway for synthesizing novel ECPs based on naturally occurring ligands with dual structures, promoting a balance between energetic performance and safety while offering versatile functionality.

Graphical abstract: Development of super-heat-resistant purine-based coordination polymers for applications in energetic materials

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
26 Jun 2025
Accepted
22 Jul 2025
First published
28 Jul 2025

Dalton Trans., 2025, Advance Article

Development of super-heat-resistant purine-based coordination polymers for applications in energetic materials

Q. Tariq, M. Tariq, S. Manzoor, Q. Yu and J. Zhang, Dalton Trans., 2025, Advance Article , DOI: 10.1039/D5DT01509J

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements