BY : PTI

As the nation resolves to achieve new milestones in 62nd year of its Independence, a move is afoot to build strong, heat-resistant, light-weight missiles which will add to Indias military might.

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has approached the Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology (MNNIT) here to study the mechanical properties and characterisation of carbon nano tubes (CNT) composites, which are likely to be used to build such robust missiles.

"We have been sanctioned Rs 1.26 crore by the DRDO for the project which has been taken up by our nano-technology cell, and is likely to take three years to complete," MNNIT Director A B Samaddar said. Samaddar said the institute will conduct advanced research for finding the mechanical properties of CNT based polymer composites, which are "micro in size, ultra light in weight but a very strong matter with high tensile power and capacity of surviving in high temperature."

Elaborating on the project, Project Investigator Mukul Shukla from MNNITs department of Mechanical Engineering said that due to its high tensile capacity of surviving in high temperature, CNT-based polymers could be used for missiles "which sometimes suffer a serious problem of structural failure due to the enormous heat energy created during the launch."