Energetic Material/Polymer Interaction Studied by Atomic Force Microscopy

The interactions of energetic materials and polymers have important implications in safety, long-term storage, and performance of explosives and explosive mixtures. Atomic force microscopy was used to investigate adhesion forces at the molecular scale of nine energetic materials, organic explosives and energetic salts, on eleven common polymers (polyethylene, polyvinylalcohol, poly(vinyl chloride), polycarbonate, polystyrene, poly(methyl methacrylate), styrene-butadiene rubber, poly(4-vinyl phenol), poly(2,6-dimethylphenylene oxide), poly(2,6-diphenyl-p-phenylene oxide) (Tenax®), and polytetrafluoroethylene (Teflon®)). Teflon was the least adhesive polymer to all energetic materials, while no distinct trend could be elucidated among the other polymers or energetic materials