Preparation and characterization of a new high-performance polymer composite and its application as a lead-free polymer-based projectile

Lead-based bullets are the major type of ammunition used all over the world. The high toxicity of this heavy metal directly affects the personnel manufacturing the projectiles and causes the contamination of the shooting ranges. To provide remedy, this work proposes cost-effective and highly performant polymer-based bullets intended to replace the traditional lead-based ones in a multitude of conventional weapons. The proposed new projectiles were elaborated from a high-performance phthalonitrile resin and several amounts of silane surface-modified chopped carbon fibers and bismuth oxide nanoparticles. The newly developed bullets were manufactured and tested for their precisions at 50 m and their velocities at 2 m from the barrel. The obtained results showed exceptional precisions with high velocities. Furthermore, the mechanical, thermal, and morphological investigations further confirmed the superior performances of these exceptional materials. It can be inferred that the produced bullets are suitable for ammunitions intended to be used for close combat and self-defense situations.