Ammunition casing

1. A 22, .22-250, .223, .243, .25-06, .270, .300, .30-30, .30-40, 30.06, .303, .308, .357, .38, .40, .45, .45-70, .50 BMG, 5.45 mm, 5.56 mm, 6.5 mm, 6.8 mm, 7 mm, 7.62 mm, 8 mm, 12.7 mm, 14.5 mm, 20 mm, 25 mm, 30 mm, or 40 mm caliber ammunition article comprising:

an ammunition casing, the casing defining a generally cylindrical hollow body having first and second ends and consisting of a caselet and a cap;

a propellant disposed and confined within said hollow body and

a primer for disposed at the first end of said casing in combustible communication with said propellant;

wherein the caselet comprises a polymeric material that has a room temperature (about 23° C.) notched Izod impact strength, measured in accordance with ASTM D256-00, greater than about 10 ft lbs/in and that has a ratio of notched Izod impact strength at room temperature to notched Izod impact strength at about −40° C. of less than about 4.

2. An ammunition article according to claim 1 wherein said polymeric material additionally comprises at least one additive selected from the group consisting of plasticizers, lubricants, molding agents, fillers, thermo-oxidative stabilizers, flame-retardants, coloring agents, compatibilizers, impact modifiers, release agents, reinforcing fibers.

3. The ammunition article according to claim 1 wherein said polymeric material comprises more than one polymer or copolymer blended or otherwise mixed together.

4. An ammunition article provided in accordance with claim 1 additionally comprising a projectile fitted in the second end.

5. The ammunition article provided in accordance with claim 4 wherein the projectile is secured to the casing by molding the polymeric material around the projectile.

6. The ammunition article provided in accordance with claim 4 wherein the projectile is secured to the casing by mechanical interference.

7. The ammunition article provided in accordance with claim 4 wherein the projectile is secured to the casing by an adhesive.

8. The ammunition article provided in accordance with claim 4 wherein the projectile is secured to the casing by ultrasonic welding.

9. The ammunition article provided in accordance with claim 4 wherein the projectile is secured to the casing by the combination of molding in place and adhesive.

10. The ammunition article provided in accordance with claim 4 wherein the projectile is secured to the casing by hot crimping after the act of molding.

11. The ammunition article of claim 1 , wherein said polymeric material is a polymer blend comprising at least two polymers having has a room temperature (about 23° C.) notched Izod impact strength, measured in accordance with ASTM D256-00, greater than about 10 ft lbs/in in a ratio of notched Izod impact strength at room temperature to notched Izod impact strength at about −40° C. of less than about 4; and

wherein at least one of the polymers is a high modulus polymer.

12. The ammunition article according to claim 11 wherein the high modulus polymer is a rigid-rod polyphenylene polymer or copolymer.

13. The ammunition article according to claim 11 wherein the high modulus polymer comprises less than about 24% by weight of the total weight of the polymer material.

14. The ammunition article according to claim 11 wherein the high modulus polymer comprises less than about 10% by weight of the total weight of the polymer material.

15. The ammunition article according to claim 11 wherein the high modulus polymer comprises less than about 5% by weight of the total weight of the polymeric material.

16. The ammunition article according to claim 11 wherein the high modulus polymer comprises less than about 1% by weight of the total weight of the polymeric material.

17. The ammunition article according to claim 11 wherein the high modulus polymer comprises less than about 0.1% by weight of the total weight of the polymeric material.

18. The ammunition article of claim 1 , wherein said polymeric material that has a room temperature (about 23° C.) notched Izod impact strength, measured in accordance with ASTM D256-00, greater than about 12 ft lbs/in and has a ratio of notched Izod impact strength at room temperature to notched Izod impact strength at about −40° C. of less than about 4.

19. The ammunition article of claim 1 , wherein said polymeric material that has a room temperature (about 23° C.) notched Izod impact strength, measured in accordance with ASTM D256-00, greater than about 10 ft lbs/in and that has a ratio of notched Izod impact strength at room temperature to notched Izod impact strength at about −40° C. of less than about 3.

20. The ammunition article of claim 1 , wherein said polymeric material has a room temperature (about 23° C.) notched Izod impact strength, measured in accordance with ASTM D256-00, greater than about 12 ft lbs/in and that has a ratio of notched Izod impact strength at room temperature to notched Izod impact strength at about −40° C. of less than about 3.

21. The ammunition article according to claim 1 , wherein said polymeric material that has a room temperature (about 23° C.) notched Izod impact strength, measured in accordance with ASTM D256-00, greater than about 10 ft lbs/in and has a ratio of notched Izod impact strength at room temperature to notched Izod impact strength at about −40° C. of less than about 2.

22. The ammunition article according to claim 1 , wherein the casing is comprised of a polymeric material that has a room temperature (about 23° C.) notched Izod impact strength, measured in accordance with ASTM D256-00, greater than about 12 ft lbs/in and that has a ratio of notched Izod impact strength at room temperature to notched Izod impact strength at about −40° C. of less than about 2.

23. The ammunition article according to claim 1 , wherein polymeric material comprises polyphenylsulfone.

24. The ammunition article according to claim 1 , wherein the polymeric material comprises a blend of polyphenylsufone and a high modulus polymer or copolymer.

25. The ammunition article according to claim 1 , wherein the polymeric material comprises a siloxane-modified Bisphenol-A polycarbonate.

26. The ammunition article according to claim 1 , wherein the polymeric material comprises a blend of a siloxane-modified Bisphenol-A polycarbonate and a high modulus polymer or copolymer.

27. The ammunition article according to claim 1 , wherein the polymeric material comprises a Bisphenol-A polycarbonate with biphenyl linkages.

28. The ammunition article according to claim 1 , wherein the polymeric material comprises a blend of a Bisphenol-A polycarbonate with biphenyl linkages and a high modulus polymer or copolymer.

29. The ammunition article according to claim 1 , wherein the polymeric material comprises a blend of Bisphenol-A polycarbonate and an acrylic elastomer.

30. The ammunition article according to claim 1 , wherein the polymeric material comprises a blend of a Bisphenol-A polycarbonate and acrylic elastomer, and a high modulus polymer or copolymer.

31. The ammunition article according to claim 1 , wherein the cap comprises steel.

32. The ammunition article according to claim 1 , wherein the cap comprises an aluminum alloy.

33. The ammunition article according to claim 1 , wherein the cap comprises brass.

34. The ammunition article according to claim 1 , wherein the cap comprises a magnesium alloy.

35. The ammunition article according to claim 1 , wherein the cap comprises a polymer.

36. The ammunition article according to claim 1 , wherein the caselet is closed at its forward end and contains no projectile.

37. The ammunition article according to claim 1 , wherein the polymeric material comprises a polyphenylsulfone and a copolymer comprising the general structural formula:

(—Ar—/—Y—) n   (1)

wherein -AR—is at least 0.1 mol% of the recurring units in (1) and wherein —Ar— is at least one arylene or heteroarylene repeat unit selected from the group consisting of:

and

wherein one to three of the aromatic CH groups in (2) or (3) may be optionally replaced with N;

the number average segment length of the arylene segments is greater than 4, the number average segment length of para-arylene repeat units is between 1 and about 8; the number average segment length of meta-arylene repeat units is greater than 1;

X is 0-4, and the pendent groups (a) are chosen independently from the group consisting of —F, —CN, —CHO, —COR, —CR═NR′, —OR, —SR, SO 2 R, —OCOR, —CO 2 R, —NRR′, —N═CRR′, —NRCOR′, —CONRR′, and R, where R and R′ are selected independently from the group consisting of H, alkyl, substituted alkyl, aryl, substituted aryl, heteroaryl and substituted heteroaryl, and R and R′ if present together may form a bridging group;

Y is one or more divalent groups chosen from nil, —Z, —Z-Ph, and -Ph-Z-Ph, where Z is a divalent group chosen from the group consisting of —O, —S—, —NR—, —O (CO)—, —O(CO 2 )—, —(CO)NH(CO)—, —NR(CO)—, phthalimide, pyromellitimide, —CO—, —SO—, —SO 2 —, —P(O)R—, —CH 2 —, —CF 2 —, and —CRR′— and where Ph is phenylene (ortho, meta or para); and

wherein, if Y is nil, there are at least two different types of —Ar— repeat unit;

where at least 1 of every 100 repeat units has a pendent side group A; and

wherein n is greater than about 4.

38. The ammunition article according to claim 37 , wherein A is selected from the group consisting of alkyl, aryl, alkyl ketone, aryl ketone, alkoxy, aryloxy, alkylester, arylester, alkylamide and arylamide.

39. The ammunition article according to claim 37 , wherein A is selected from the group consisting of acetyl, benzoyl, carbomethoxy, formyl, phenoxy, phenoxybenzoyl, and phenyl.

40. The ammunition article according to claim 37 , wherein Y is nil and the copolymer comprises the structure:

wherein the pendent group A′ is chosen independently from the group consisting of —F, —CN, —CHO, —COR, —CR═NR′, —OR, —SR, —SO 2 R, —OCOR, —CO 2 R, —NRR′, —N═CRR′, —NRCOR′, —CONRR′, and R, where R and R′ are selected independently from the group consisting of H, alkyl substituted alkyl, aryl, substituted aryl, heteroaryl, and substituted heteroaryl, and where R and R′ if present together may form a bridging group; and

wherein n is greater than about 4.

41. The ammunition article according to claim 37 , wherein Y is nil and the copolymer has a structure selected from the group consisting of the following structures:

wherein the pendent groups A and A′ are chosen independently from the group consisting of —F, —CN, —CHO, —COR, —CR═NR′, —OR, —SR, —SO 2 R, —OCOR, —CO 2 R, —NRR′, —N═CRR′, —NRCOR′, —CONRR′, and R, where R and R′ are selected independently from the group consisting of H, alkyl substituted alkyl, aryl, substituted aryl, heteroaryl, and substituted heteroaryl, and where R and R′ if present together may form a bridging group; and

wherein n is greater than about 4.

42. The ammunition article according to claim 1 , wherein the caselet consists of a polymeric material that has a room temperature (about 23° C.) notched Izod impact strength, measured in accordance with ASTM D256-00, greater than about 10 ft lbs/in and that has a ratio of notched Izod impact strength at room temperature to notched Izod impact strength at about −40° C. of less than about 4.

43. The ammunition article according to claim 42 , wherein the polymeric material is polyphenylsulfone.

44. The ammunition article according to claim 1 , wherein the polymeric material has a flexural modulus of at least 300,000 psi.