Cortec® VpCI® packaging materials come highly recommended for dry corrosion protection of arms and ammunition newly manufactured by government contractors. These corrosion inhibiting packaging materials have enough benefits to stand on their own as a superior rust prevention strategy to traditional methods of slathering new guns in protective oils or greases. Even better, several Cortec® VpCI® packaging materials also meet minimum biobased content requirements under the mandatory federal purchasing initiative of the USDA BioPreferred® Program. Here is a closer look at three excellent options for government weapons and ammo manufacturers.

CorShield® VpCI®-146 Paper is the premium Vapor phase Corrosion Inhibiting paper in the VCI paper industry. It is competitively priced and offers corrosion protection on both sides of the paper, eliminating packaging guesswork. When wrapped inside CorShield® VpCI®-146 Paper, the outer surfaces of guns and ammunition are protected by Vapor phase Corrosion Inhibitors that diffuse out of the paper and form a protective molecular layer on multiple metal types (e.g., carbon steel, stainless steel, galvanized steel, cast iron, aluminum alloys, copper, brass, and solder). When the firearm or ammunition is removed from the paper there is no need to clean off the protective layer, because it simply evaporates. CorShield® VpCI®-146 contains 92% USDA certified biobased content and is fully recyclable/repulpable. It does not contain any hazardous materials such as nitrites, phosphates, silicones, chromates, or other heavy metals. It is also available in creped paper format.

For a step up in moisture resistance, EcoShield® VpCI®-144 Paper offers corrosion protection on one side with a recyclable moisture barrier coating on the other. Historically, polyethylene and wax coatings have been used to seal porous paper to provide a moisture barrier and/or moisture-vapor barrier. When coated this way, the resulting paper product is an environmental problem and cannot be recycled through normal channels. EcoShield® VpCI®-144 Paper provides a competitive environmentally friendly alternative to polyethylene and wax paper, with comparable water vapor barrier properties, and is fully recyclable/repulpable into other types of paper products. EcoShield® VpCI®-144 contains 69% USDA certified biobased content.

A third option that can be used alone or in conjunction with VpCI® Papers is BioPad®. This unique flexible corrosion inhibiting device contains Vapor phase Corrosion Inhibitors infused throughout a substrate constructed from biobased non-woven material. BioPad’s high concentration of VpCI® is excellent for packages that need to be quickly saturated with a strong dose of Vapor phase Corrosion Inhibitors. BioPad® contains 58% USDA certified biobased content and is made partly from the byproducts of corn processing. On their own, these three packaging materials are excellent options for easy corrosion protection of ammunition and firearms. Their renewable content gives all the more reason for manufacturers and even arms buyers to use them for protection of military guns and ammunition during storage or shipment. They help users avoid the mess of greasy and oily rust preventatives; they lower environmental impact; and they also help federal government agencies and their contractors meet minimum biobased content purchasing requirements.

Contact your Texas Technologies specialist to learn more about a convenient, environmentally responsible corrosion protection packaging option.