Molding fabrication of copper azide/porous graphene with high electrostatic safety by self-assembly of graphene oxide

In the wake of the development of micro-initiation systems, traditional lead-based primary explosives hardly satisfy the needs of high energy output. Copper azide (CA), one of the most promising primary explosives, is restricted in practical applications because of its high electrostatic sensitivity and the method of charge in micro-initiation systems. To tackle these issues, two synthetic paths of CA based on a porous graphene skeleton are proposed. First, a viscous homogeneous mixed solution is rapidly frozen in liquid nitrogen to form a spherical copper-containing precursor material. The copper azide/carbon/graphene composite (CA/C/GA) was fabricated by freeze-drying, high-temperature thermal decomposition and in situ azidation. Second, A cylindrical copper/graphene gel formed by high-temperature hydrothermal self-assembly is served as a precursor material. Also, hydrogen reduction and in situ azidation procedures were utilized to synthesize copper azide@graphene foam (CA@GF). Detailed characterization indicates that the excellent performance of composite materials is ascribed to the excellent electrical and thermal conductivity of graphene material. The electrostatic sensitivities of CA/C/GA and CA@GF were 3.6 mJ and 2.5 mJ, respectively, and the flame sensitivity was 50 cm. The course of fabrication is environmentally friendly and easy to perform and it may be well-matched with the charge of the micro-detonation system.

Automated summary

The use of copper azide in micro-initiation systems is limited due to its high electrostatic sensitivity, but two synthetic paths based on a porous graphene skeleton have been proposed to address this issue. The resulting composite materials, CA/C/GA and CA@GF, exhibit excellent electrical and thermal conductivity, making them suitable for micro-initiation systems.