Modern trends in “Green” primary energetic materials

The evergrowing demand for cleaner, high-performing energetic materials (EMs) has led to a quest for replacement of currently used toxic metal-based traditional energetic compounds such as lead azide and lead styphnate. As such, significant effort has been placed on the implementation of nitrogen-rich frameworks as cleaner and safer alternatives to the environmentally harmful EMs. This review examines strategies for the design and synthesis of next-generation nitrogen-rich, “green” primary explosives. Three categories of this class of materials are examined, namely potassium-based energetic salts, metal-free ionic energetic salts and metal-free covalent energetic materials. Within each subsection, different combinations of nitrogen-rich frameworks and energetic substituents are highlighted in terms of their explosive performance, initiability, safety and environmental impact. As well, a brief summary and description of key parameters associated with energetic materials is also provided.