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Thermal and Sensitiveness Determination of Cubanes: Towards Cubane‐Based Fuels for Infrared Countermeasures
Author(s) -
Dallaston Madeleine A.,
Brusnahan Jason S.,
Wall Craig,
Williams Craig M.
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
chemistry – a european journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.687
H-Index - 242
eISSN - 1521-3765
pISSN - 0947-6539
DOI - 10.1002/chem.201901086
Subject(s) - chemistry , cubane , infrared , explosive material , thermal decomposition , organic chemistry , molecule , optics , physics
As infrared seeking technology evolves, threats are better able to distinguish defensive infrared (IR) flares from true targets. Spectrally matched flares, which generally employ carbon‐based fuels, are better able to decoy some advanced missiles by more closely mimicking the IR emission of the target. Cubane is a high‐energy carbon‐based scaffold which may be suitable for use as a fuel in spectrally matched flares. The enthalpy of formation and strain energy of a series of cubanes was predicted in silico, and their thermal and impact stability examined. All were found to undergo highly exothermic decomposition in sealed cell differential scanning calorimetry, and two cubanes subsequently underwent quantitative sensitiveness testing. Despite their F of I values being in the secondary explosive range, cubane‐1,4‐dicarboxylic acid ( F of I =70) and 4‐carbamoylcubane‐1‐carboxylic acid ( F of I =90) were identified as potentially useful fuels for pyrotechnic infrared countermeasure flare formulations.