The new subsidiary of ApNano hopes to manufacture personal safety items that are up to five times stronger than steel, before applying the molecular technology to vehicles and aircraft.
The NanoArmor products will be based on ApNano’s ‘nanospheres’ and ‘nanotubes’, which are said to be among the most impact resistant substances known.
ApNano say that the tiny particles of inorganic compounds provide exceptional shock absorbing capabilities, offering twice the strength of traditional armour materials like boron carbide and silicon carbide.
During tests, the material was subjected to severe shocks at impact velocities of up to 1.5km per second. The nanospheres are said to have withstood shock pressures generated by the impacts of up to 250 tons per square centimeter.
ApNanon claim the nanospheres are so strong that after the impact the samples remained ‘essentially identical’ to the starting material. Similarly structured hollow spheres of carbon are said to fail under one tenth of the pressure that nanospheres can survive.
“The company has already started negotiations with investors,” said Aharon Feuerstein, ApNano Materials’ Chairman and CFO.
“NanoArmor potential products have already attracted huge interest from military, law enforcement and homeland security organisations and agencies in various countries.”
ApNano say new subsidiary will also be developing multi-walled titanium-based nanoparticles which will enable it to manufacture armour products 50% lighter than traditional designs.
Recently ApNano opened a 1,000 square metre manufacturing facility in Israel. The facility houses a semi-industrial reactor which is said to be able to produce tonnes of the company’s nanomaterials.
Nanotechnology is behind several other inventions, including stain-proof clothing, sunscreens and powerful rocket propellants.