Investigation of the Catalytic Effects of Metal Oxides on the Thermal Decomposition of 3-Nitro-1,2,4-Triazol-5-One (NTO)

Abstract. Azolone-family energetic compounds have significant potential as alternatives to conventional oxidizers due to their environmentally benign structures and high nitrogen contents. Triazolone-based compounds with high nitrogen and oxygen ratios can function as efficient propellant oxidizers or powerful explosives. Among the azolone energetic materials, 5-nitro-2,4-dihydro-3H-1,2,4-triazol-3-one (NTO) is a well-known and widely used insensitive energetic compound, owing to its practical synthesis route and favorable properties, including high enthalpy of formation, excellent thermal and chemical stability, and low sensitivity. To broaden the application range of NTO and enable its use as an effective substitute for more sensitive energetic materials, enhancement of its decomposition behavior through the incorporation of suitable additives is required. Metal oxides have frequently been reported as efficient catalysts for the thermal decomposition of various energetic materials. In this study, the catalytic effects of ZnO and TiO₂ on the thermal decomposition behavior of NTO are systematically investigated using differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis.