The US Army’s Advanced Materials Lab (AML) is working on using structured reactive materials (SRMs) to replace inert materials in the design of artillery shells. The idea is to make the shells more destructive.
A typical artillery shell explodes and breaks apart, sending fragments out in all directions at a high speed to wreak destruction. But the Department of Defense (DoD) says AML engineers at Picatinny Arsenal, the Army’s ammunition and weapons center, want to use SRMs to build the entire fragmentation warhead (or frag, in military shorthand), not merely as part of the shell. This design has the potential to make the warheads 500 percent more lethal, because the fragments they send out will flare and burn, releasing both chemical and kinetic energy.
A cylinder composed of reactive materials is held by engineer Chris Haines. Photo by Eric Usawicz; used courtesy US Army.
SRMs are a new class of materials the military is exploring to bolster the effectiveness of frags. Like insensitive high explosives, these materials are usually composed of two or more nonexplosive solid materials that don’t react until acted upon by a strong mechanical, electrical, or laser stimulus.
Paul Redner, a materials engineer with the AML, said in an article published on the Army's Website that one of the benefits of designing frags with SRMs is the ability to increase destructive power without requiring more material. Unlike other reactive materials, “SRM will be a direct one-to-one replacement of inert components.”
According to the DoD, the Picatinny lab is a good place to experiment with these types of materials, because of its focus on the development of nanomaterials. The lab itself was established to transition viable new nanotechnologies -- a focus of research across the military and other government labs -- to full-fledged development programs.
Creating shells with the new materials is a work in progress and comes with its technical challenges. The DoD said engineers are struggling with how to process components to form more complex shapes, among other things. The AML is working with other military researchers, including the Office of Naval Research, to overcome these and other issues with the use of the new materials.
This is another example of innovation in weaponry. Just think, this could lower the military's carbon footprint.
All kidding aside, while it would be nice if we did not have to use these things, by being more effective we limit the number of conflicts overall. This is an interesting use of materials and the nanotechnology research should yield some interesting results.
Agreed. This is an interesting use of nanotechnology. After reading "500 percent more lethal", it's difficult to stay neutral and imagine non-military applications.
It's unfortunate that the results of this research will be limited to military applications. It would be nice if it could spill over into non-military applications.
Jhankwitz, you are right. Every year government is spending billion of USD for military R&D inorder to strengthen the national security and weapon systems. I think the same technology can also be use for common peoples benefit also. For example, the light weight materials using in space craft can be used for making artificial limbs etc.
500 percent more lethal just means 5x more lethal. Although that's a lot, considering the fragments will release both kinetic and chemical energy. The only non-military use I can imagine is for the other apps of explosives, such as mining work, although I don't see what chemical energy will bring to that effort. It would be interesting to know what chemicals are involved.
I would be concerned about the stability of the materials under various conditions. Unstable ordinance just sounds like it would be really unpleasant. The reason for this concern is that it seems to me that materials that are able to explode would be a bit more reactive, and thus less likely to be completely stable. But perhaps there is another answer.
I think William raised a good point. If these artillery shells are 5x more lethal, does that mean 5x the explosive force? Whatever the percentage or factor, it's greater explosive force which means they're likely to be more dangerous to store, as well as to deploy.
Elizabeth, what types of materials are these? The article says they're a new class, but does that mean metals, plastics, composites, nanocomposites, or something else?
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