Published online by Cambridge University Press: 11 January 2012
A T-Jump/Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer (T-Jump/TOFMS) is used to probe the decomposition of several aminotetrazole containing energetic materials under very high heating rates of 105-106 K/s. Subtle differences between materials in functional group placement and anion composition allow for further understanding of the decomposition pathway of the tetrazole structure and various anions. Two decomposition pathways for the tetrazole ring are observed, which result in the primary formation of HN3 or N2. Further analysis is performed using a rapid-heating μ-DSC device, which revealed lower activation energies than previously reported.