Abstract: The surface properties of 1,3,5-triamino-2,4,6-trinitrobenzene (TATB) with various particle sizes were characterized by inverse gas chromatography (IGC). The disperse component γds of surface free energy of TATB samples increased as temperature increased. The larger the particle size is, the quicker the increasing rate of the disperse component will be as the temperature increases. The γds of the coarse TATB is the highest (193.2 mJ/m2) and that of the submicron TATB is the smallest (64.0 mJ/m2) at 353 K. Due to the different preparation processes and particle sizes, the samples show obviously different Lewis acid-base properties. Fine TATB can provide positive Lewis acid-base active sites and has higher acidity. The specific components of the adsorption of polar probes on the surface of the other three types of TATB were found to be endothermic owing to the strong hydrogen bond of inter- and intra-TATB molecules. Their surface acidity and basicity constants, Ka and Kb are negative.

Key words: 1,3,5-triamino-2,4,6-trinitrobenzene (TATB) , surface property, inverse gas chromatography (IGC)