Stabilizing volatile azido in a 3D nitrogen-rich energetic metal–organic framework with excellent energetic performance

The appearance of the nitrogen-rich energetic MOFs provides another opportunity for the new-generation of high energetic explosives. In this work, an insensitive energetic nitrogen-rich ligand, 3-amino-1, 2, 4-triazole (Hatz) was imported into the system of transition-metal azides via the coordination polymerization strategy in the hope to prepare mixed-ligand nitrogen-rich high energetic MOF materials with low sensitivity and finally a solvent-free 3D energetic compacted metal-organic framework (MOF), Cd3(atz)4(N3)2 (1) was successfully isolated under hydrothermal conditions. Compound 1 was characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction, IR spectroscopy, elemental analysis (EA), different scanning calorimetry (DSC), and thermogravimetry analysis (TGA). Topological analysis shows that the 3D framework of 1 can be abstracted into a ten-connected topological network. The volatile azido ion can be viewed as a counter anion to be stabilized in a 3D framework as the connection of Cd(II) ions with two independent atz− ligands still remains a 3D framework. Compound 1 has a high calculated density (ρ) of 2.517 g cm−3. The standard molar enthalpy of formation (ΔfHo) of 1 was calculated to be 1330.10 kJ mol−1, which is higher than those of most of the previously 3D energetic MOFs. Sensitivity tests demonstrate that 1 is insensitive to external mechanical stimuli. TGA demonstrates that 1 has an excellent thermostability which can be stable up to 372 °C. Compound 1 can be served as a high-energy-density material with a favorable level of safety due to its excellent energetic performances, low sensitivities and excellent thermostability.