Nitrogen-bearing compounds are among the most effective choices for high-energy density materials (HEDMs) and could hold the key to efficient energy storage, according to new university research.
Researchers at the University of Bayreuth in Germany found that while their application in space exploration as rocket propellants and in defense as explosives is well known, they also offer store vast amounts of energy ‘in a relatively small volume, make them indispensable for advancing technology in areas requiring high-power outputs and compact energy storage solutions’.
Nitrogen’s ability to form various stable and energetically favourable bonds of different order, single N-N, double N=N, or triple N≡N, allows for the synthesis of a wide range of compounds with tailored properties, the researchers found, who first flagged up its potential back in 2018.
Nitrogen-rich materials are capable of releasing a huge amount of energy during decomposition or combustion (when single bonds are replaced by triple ones), making them highly effective as propellants and explosives.
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