Violations of Coordination: Exploring Metastable Diborides via Energetic Transition Metals.

ABSTRACT: The ideal aeronautical solid-state fuel should possess a high gravimetric heat of combustion (more energy for less weight) and a high volumetric heat of combustion (more room for mission-critical items). In this work, manganese diboride (MnB₂) demonstrates a high gravimetric heat of combustion of 39.26 kJ/g and the highest volumetric heat of combustion of any known fuel of 208.08 kJ/cm³. When compared to the currently used fuel in Space Shuttle rocket boosters and the Space Launch System, aluminum metal, MnB₂ represents a 26% increase in gravimetric heat of combustion and a 148% increase in volumetric heat of combustion. Surprisingly, the local topology of the inner coordination sphere controls energetic output. A model cluster system analyzed by density fu

SUBMITTER: Doane JT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12082694 | biostudies-literature | 2025 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature