Consistent and optimized sensitivity and energy density of energetic materials are essential to their performance and safety in applications such as explosives and propellants. These factors heavily rely on the microscopic morphology of energetic materials including crystalline size, shape, uniformity and purity. See M. Ghosh et al., Cryst. Growth Des. 14, 5053 (2014). Triaminotrinitrobenzene (TATB) is a powerful energetic material which displays superior insensitivity to elements such as shock, impact, vibration or fire over any other known energetic material. See S. F. Rice and R. L. Simpson, The Unusual Stability of TATB: A Review of the Scientific Literature, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, Calif. (1990). This insensitivity makes TATB the best choice where absolute safety is required. See B. M. Dobratz, The Insensitive High Explosive Triaminotrinitrobenzene (TATB): Development and Characterization, Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory, Los Alamos, N M (1995); W. E. Voreck et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,597,974 A (28 Jan. 1997); and R. Thorpe and W. R. Feairheller, Development of Processes for Reliable Detonator Grade Very Fine Secondary Explosive Powders, Monsanto Research Corporation, Miamisburg, Ohio (1988). However, TATB particles prepared by existing methods typically lack uniformity in crystalline morphology. Such irregularity limits the potential to produce TATB with reproducible and predictable performance. Further, the sharp edges of existing energetic material particles result in detonation hot spots which are responsible for reducing energetic material stability. See M. Ghosh et al., Cryst. Growth Des. 14, 5053 (2014).
Therefore, a need remains for TATB microparticles with uniform particle size and spherical shape.