Design and Synthesis of Novel Energetic Cocrystals

This research opportunity focuses on the design and synthesis of novel energetic cocrystalline materials at the DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory. The project involves identifying novel inter-/intramolecular interactions between novel melt-cast materials and traditional energetics leading to high performance energetic cocrystals. Researchers will synthesize and characterize materials using vibrational spectroscopy (IR and Raman), X-ray diffraction (Powder and Single Crystal), TGA, DSC, and small-scale sensitivity testing. The material space to be explored is centered on energetic melt-cast material based on the bis-isoxazole backbone, with initial work to be performed on milligram scale using modern crystal engineering techniques. This opportunity is part of the Army Research Laboratory Research Associateship Program (ARL-RAP), designed to increase the involvement of creative and highly trained scientists and engineers from academia and industry in scientific and technical areas of interest and relevance to the Army.