A liner (18) for a shaped-charge (10) that is compressively formed from a mixture of powdered metal, powdered metal binder, and a selected quantity of nanoparticle material, is used to achieve improved penetration depths during perforation of a wellbore. Exemplary nanoparticles include lead, tin, copper, molybdenum, etc. Such nanoparticles increase the density, sound speed, or acoustic impedance of the liner. In another embodiment, the added nanoparticles comprise reactive materials which, after penetration into the formation, cause secondary reactions in the perforations.