Preparation, characterization and thermal decomposition mechanism of guanidinium azotetrazolate (GUZT)

• Guanidinium azotetrazolate was prepared by using replacement reaction.
• Thermal decomposition of guanidinium azotetrazolate was separated into two steps.
• The thermal behaviors of guanidinium azotetrazolate were described.
• The thermal decomposition mechanisms of guanidinium azotetrazolate were obtained.

Guanidinium azotetrazolate (GUZT) was prepared by replacement reaction using guanidine nitrate (GN) and 5-amino-tetrazole (5-AT) as raw materials. The morphology and structure of the title compound were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and elementary analysis (EA). Thermal behaviors and thermal decomposition processes of GUZT were investigated by means of thermogravimetric thermogravimetric (TG) analysis, differential scanning colorimetry (DSC), condensed phase thermolysis/RSFT-IR and pyrogenetic mass spectrometry in a temperature-programmed mode. The thermal decomposition mechanisms of GUZT were obtained by analyzing its solid-phase thermal decomposition processes and gas-phase thermal decomposition products.