1,3,5-Triamino-2,4,6-Trinitrobenzene (TATB): Enlightening the way to create new Low-Sensitivity and High-Energy materials from a viewpoint of multiscale

1,3,5-triamino-2,4,6-trinitrobenzene (TATB) features very insensitive to various stimuli, which stems from its high stability on multiple levels of structures. This article summarizes the structural characteristics on the levels of molecule, crystal and composite that contribute to the very low sensitivity of TATB, as well as that of decomposition reaction. That is, the molecular characteristics include significantly negative oxygen balance and high molecular stability; the crystal determining factors contain dense interlayered intermolecular hydrogen bonds work nets, planar layered molecular stacking and few defects; and from the viewpoint of composite, strong interfacial interaction roots for the low sensitivity of TATB-based polymer-bonded explosives. Besides, loading and unloading caused reversible intramolecular hydrogen transfer, and heat induced clustering and slow extraction of small product molecules in decomposition are responsible for the insensitivity too. All these factors contribute to the very high insensitivity of TATB and enlighten us to effectively create new low sensitivity and high energy materials with seriously considering them.