Crosslinked network engineered epoxy matrix exhibiting concurrent high energetic and mechanical performance

• A crosslinked network engineered epoxy matrix was developed. • The epoxy exhibits a specific explosion energy density of 6.46 kJ/g which is 1.7 times that of TNT while maintaining comparable mechanical properties of conventional engineering epoxies. • The introduction of polyether segments enhances the oxygen content and promotes the generation of low-molecular-weight oxygen-containing fragments thereby facilitating higher energy output and release rate during detonation. • This designed epoxy is a viable candidate for next-generation reactive structural composites (RSM) and high-energy solid propellants. Polymer matrices used in reactive structural materials and solid propellants suffer from inherent limitations in achieving both high energy release rate and superior mechanical performance. To address this challenge, a crosslinked network engineering strategy was proposed. By simultaneously introducing polyether segments and mechanically stable units into the epoxy resin through co-crosslinking, a new epoxy matrix was developed exhibiting concurrent high mechanical strength and energy release properties. Compared with engineering epoxy systems, the designed matrix shows an approximately 15% increase in the peak of overpressure while maintaining comparable mechanical properties of the engineering systems. The concurrent properties lie in the introduction of the polyether segments rich in oxygen which, on the one hand, facilitate the generation of low-molecular-weight pyrolysis products high in oxidative reactivity and, on the other hand, promote fragmentation of the crosslinked network via numerous thermally labile sites. This structural breakdown significantly accelerates oxidative behaviors, thereby enhancing energetic performance. This work provides a viable strategy for designing matrices with elevated mechanical properties and promoted energy release characteristics in advanced energetic materials and propellants applications.