NUCAP Energy develops surface enhancement technology for use in composite materials to improve ballistic properties and thermal energy transfer in military and defence industry applications.
The company manufactures enhanced surface materials, under the name GRIPMetal, suitable for a variety of industries and has extensive experience working with various metal substrates, including stainless steel, aluminium, titanium, brass, and copper.
The original technology of surface modification has been used by NUCAP Industries, the parent company of NUCAP Energy, in high-performance automotive brake systems for over 21 years. So far the GripMetal technology has been used in more than a billion brake pads already used in cars and trucks around the globe successfully withstanding extreme temperatures and challenging environments.
Enhanced surface materials to improve heat transfer efficiency
GRIPMetal, a unique and patented non-subtractive process developed by NUCAP, expands a metal’s surface area without increasing its weight, enabling manufacturers to reduce the size and weight of their products while ensuring optimal thermal and structural performance.
GRIPMetal can be fabricated to meet broad requirements: any metal, shape, and hook geometry, with the choice of a single or double-sided enhancement.
Cooled and protected batteries for electric military vehicles
High-efficiency cooling systems are essential for electric vehicles (EVs) as they help to dispel heat while improving energy efficiency and extending the lifespan of EV electronics and batteries.
GRIPMetal provides excellent means to cool and protect batteries for a range of vehicle requirements to meet the growing demands of the contemporary battlefield. The enhanced material not only improves cooling capability, but also, when used in composites, provides additional protection to the battery pack simultaneously removing heat and shielding the cells from external forces.
High-performance components for electronic applications
Cooler computational processing units (CPUs) result in a higher computation speed, longer service life, and sturdiness of computers.
Cold plates made of GRIPMetal are capable of dissipating large loads of thermal energy for applications like insulated-gate bipolar transistors (IGBT) that are crucial elements used as an electronic switches for high-power applications in many industries (like the energy sector, aerospace, and transportation).
Heat exchangers for climate control applications
NUCAP’s surface modification for heat exchangers can provide substantial gains in efficiency of heat exchange process ranging from 40% (for water) to 100% (for oils). Improving efficiency makes it possible to reduce the size and weight of the heat exchangers. For military applications the smaller footprint and weight of HVAC systems is of paramount importance for limited space inside combat vehicles.
The company’s enhanced surface material can be used virtually in all types of heat exchangers, from large rotary exchangers to crossflow exchangers and hydronic plate exchangers used in various applications.
Composite materials – from ballistic protection to temporary roads and buildings
GRIPMetal-based composite materials can simultaneously serve multiple functions: transfer of energy, ballistic protection, shielding from electromagnetic radiation. However, the versatility of the material for military use is not ending there. GRIPMetal can be used in fast construction of temporary roads for heavy equipment to cross frozen terrain, as well as sandy dunes.
About NUCAP Energy
NUCAP Energy is a division of NUCAP Industries, the parent company of NRS Brakes and the owner of patented GRIPMetal technology. NUCAP was founded in 1994 and its manufacturing plants are located across Canada and the US. NUCAP Industries has a history of developing state-of-the-art manufacturing technology to improve surfaces of metallic materials.
NUCAP Energy is a leading material manufacturer that specialises in developing solutions for optimising thermal processes.