Low‑Residue Combustible MICs (Foamed Celluloid Mortar Propellant Increment Containers, Tech ID: 12‑032)
Technology Overview: An economical, low‑residue mortar increment container (MIC) constructed from foamed celluloid (≈50–84% nitrocellulose, ≈15–50% camphor; tunable with energetic plasticizers). The MIC design aims to burn cleanly and resist moisture‑related performance loss, offering improved manufacturing and ballistic consistency relative to felt‑fiber MICs.
Industry Pain Point: Legacy felt MICs require multi‑step processing and can absorb moisture, reducing projectile velocity and range; conventional combustible cases may also leave residue or suffer low‑temperature embrittlement.
NJIT Solution: Adopt foamed celluloid containers that are moldable, moisture‑resistant, and combust cleanly, reducing hang‑fire risks and enabling cost‑effective mass production for 60/81/120‑mm mortar systems.
Key Features & Advantages
- Low‑residue combustion with energetic additive options to tune burn rate.
- Moisture resistance and mechanical robustness vs. felt MICs.
- Moldable at scale for consistent geometry and performance.
Development Stage: TRL 4–5 – Laboratory/engineering validation with issued patent embodiments.
Target Markets
- Defense OEMs and munitions suppliers
- Propulsion system R\&D and test ranges
- Combustible cartridge component manufacturers
Commercial & IP Details
Inventors: Costas Gogos, Niloufar Faridi, Linjie Zhu, Ming-Wan Young, Fei Shen, Elbert Caravaca, Mohamed Elalem, Viral Panchal, Dale Conti