The manufacture of the Class 1 explosive bis triaminoguanidinium azotetrazolate (TAGZT), along with its precursor sodium azotetrazolate (NaZT), has been successfully demonstrated by personnel at the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Indian Head Division (NSWC-IHD). In 2003 NSWC-IHD successfully validated a 100 gallon batch scale process working with synthesis chemists at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). Recently, the manufacturing processes for TAGZT and its precursor were engineered to minimize the operators' exposure and optimized to maximize the product yield.

The yield of NaZT at the 100-gallon scale was approximately 10 kilograms. The existing TAGZT process at the 100-gallon scale required approximately 30 kilograms of NaZT to make one 30-kilogram batch of TAGZT. This stated process required the isolation, drying, and storage of the dry NaZT in preparation for the TAGZT synthesis. Handling the NaZT is neither advisable nor desired, so an alternative process was engineered. The new TAGZT process has eliminated the isolation and handling of the NaZT. In the new process the NaZT is collected and temporarily stored in a 100 gallon Nutsche filter until required for the TAGZT synthesis.

A yield improvement in the synthesis of the NaZT·5H2O was accomplished by increasing the reactant concentration twofold over the originally demonstrated procedure. This doubled the amount of NaZT·5H2O produced per batch. The optimization of the TAGZT synthesis was achieved by changing two process variables. The reactant concentration was increased, similar to the optimization of NaZT·5H2O, and the crystallization temperature was lowered. The amount of TAGZT recovered per batch increased by 70%.

The engineering challenges will be presented along with an economic assessment of this energetic ingredient.