Construction of zirconium tungstate modified polymer bonded energetic composites with highly inhibited thermal expansion via bioinspired interfacial reinforcement

Precise dimension control during the thermal cycle by introducing negative thermal expansion (NTE) nano-fillers is attractive and highly challenging for polymer bonded energetic composites. Achieving the ability to obtain homogeneous dispersion of NTE nanoparticles and tailoring the interface are the keys to realising desirable thermal expansion performances in the energetic composites. Inspired by the strong chemical adhesion of mussels, we reported a general strategy to coat NTE nanoparticles (i.e., zirconium tungstate, ZrW2O8) with dopamine through a simple immersion method. Polydopamine (PDA) coating can effectively improve the dispersion of ZrW2O8 and enhance the interaction between the ZrW2O8 nanoparticles and polymer binder matrix. The ZrW2O8@PDA (pZrW2O8) based energetic composites exhibited significantly suppressed thermal expansion, greatly enhanced thermal stability of microstructures, and mechanical properties in comparison with the corresponding composites modified with raw ZrW2O8. Our strategy provides a facile pathway to achieve high-performance energetic composites with high thermal stability.