In recent years, the arms industry has been faced a shortage of cartridges caused by, among other things, a decrease in raw material supply and, in the case of some countries, also by the loss of production technologies for specific types of ammunition.

For this reason, we have also applied nanotechnology in the development of armaments, using a novel synthetic method of production which employs nanotechnology to replace hard-to-find raw materials with nanostructured plastics. These advanced polymers are then manufactured into shell cases and cartridges for higher performing ammunition. For example, when compared to brass or steel cartridges, our designs can reduce a shot’s energy consumption by 25%.

Another significant advantage of plastic cartridges is their lower weight. For comparison – classic metal cartridges of calibre 152 mm weighs between 14.5 to 15.46 kg (based on the weight of the pure metal sleeve). In contrast, our plastic cartridge of the same calibre weighs only 0.924 kg (without the metal base). Commonly used standard 122 mm metal cartridges weigh between 3.9-4 kg (again, based on the weight of the pure metal sleeve). A plastic cartridge of the same calibre developed by us weighs 0.670 kg (without the metal base). Thanks to this significantly lower weight, plastic cartridge cases are characterized by easier handling not only during loading, but also reduced logistics costs throughout the supply chain. We are also currently developing a plastic base for shell cartridges, so as to completely eliminate the need for metal parts.

Our plastic cartridges also maintain the advantage of antistatic properties, while the technical parameters gained from using plastic cases makes it possible to increase the amount of projectile charge, thus increasing range. Plastic cartridges also have a long service life – as they can be recharged and used at least 5 times. Furthermore, after the end of their service life, it is then possible to recycle them for partial use in the production of new cartridge cases or as a feedstock for other plastic products.

Our composite material of thermoplastics and nanomaterial meets all of the tactical and technical requirements required for shell casings and have been shown to be 25-30% more effective than similar products in a wide range of properties. This includes mechanical, electromagnetic, and electrostatic properties as well as increased chemical resistance. We designed our polymer cartridges to withstand the pressure from explosive gases exceeding 500 bars and to withstand temperatures above 3000°C.