Development and validation of a HPLC-UV method for DATNBI and its’ application in quality control

Abstract

The analysis method based on high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) is an important tool for the quality control of energetic materials. 1,1'-Diamino-4,4',5,5'-tetranitro-2,2'-biimidazole (DATNBI) as a new low-sensitivity and high-energy explosive, has many potential applications in both civil and military areas. However, the method based on HPLC is not known for the analysis of DATNBI. In this study, a HPLC method has been developed and validated for DATNBI. After the optimization of chromatographic conditions, a reversed-phase HPLC method has been established by using phenyl-hexyl column (4.6 × 150 mm, 3.5 µm) with the detection wavelength of 230 nm. The retention time of DATNBI is 10.37 min with the resolution of all peaks over 2.10. Meanwhile, the method has been also validated and displayed good accuracy, precision, stability and robustness for the analysis of DATNBI. The linear range of DATNBI analysis is 1.0–200 µg·mL⁻¹ with the detection limit of 0.05 µg·mL⁻¹. Further, this method had been applied to the analysis of real DATNBI. The purity of DATNBI was increased from 90.06 to 98.85% after the recrystallization for two times. This study indicates that the HPLC method is fast, efficient, sensitive and accurate for the analysis of DATNBI, and thus it can be used for the quality control of DATNBI.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords:

• Analytical method
• 1,1′-diamino-4,4′,5,5′-tetranitro-2,2′-biimidazole (DATNBI)
• high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)
• insensitive energetic materials
• quality control

Data availability statement

Data available within the article or its supplementary materials.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Fund Program for the Scientific Activities of Selected Returned Overseas Professionals in Shanxi Province [Nos. 1812200077] and the National Natural Science Foundation of China [Nos. 21975235].