Armour

[ianstone]

Liquid armour 'can stop bullets'


Page last updated at 12:22 GMT, Friday, 9 July 2010 13:22 UK (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/science_and_environment/10569761.stm#)

By Victoria Gill
Science reporter, BBC News
A bullet hits traditional kevlar (L) and the new liquid armour (R)

A liquid armour has been shown to stop bullets in tests carried out by UK scientists at BAE systems in Bristol.
The researchers have combined this "shear-thickening" liquid with Kevlar to create a new bullet-proof material.
The company is keeping the chemical formula of the liquid a secret, but it works by absorbing the force of the bullet strike and responding to it by becoming much thicker and more sticky.
The BAE scientists describe it as "bullet-proof custard".
"It's very similar to custard in the sense that the molecules lock together when it's struck," explained Stewart Penny, business development manager in charge of materials development at the company.
Continue reading the main story (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/science_and_environment/10569761.stm#skip_feature_02)

The Kevlar with the liquid works much faster and the impact isn't anything like as deep
Stewart Penny BAE Systems
Shear-thickening liquids are not new to military research. The US Army Research Laboratories has carried out tests using similar liquids.
But, according to BAE, these latest tests provide the first clear evidence that liquid armour could effectively protect soldiers from bullets or shrapnel.
They say the liquid could ultimately be used to make much lighter, more flexible and more effective bullet-proof vests for solidiers.
"In standard bullet-proof vests, we use thick, heavy, layered plates of Kevlar that restrict movement and contribute to fatigue," said Mr Penny.
In the tests, scientists used a large gas gun to fire ball bearing-shaped metal bullets at over 300 metres per second into two test materials - 31 layers of untreated kevlar and 10 layers of kevlar combined with the shear-thickening liquid.
"The Kevlar with the liquid works much faster and the impact isn't anything like as deep," he explained.
The results were presented to journalists during a preview of future defence technology at BAE's Advanced Technology Centre in Filton, Bristol.

Sorry if you have seen this,
I obviously missed Sci-Fi well almost

[Toki]

Kevlar, liquid, and some nano armor would make our troops practically bullet resistant.

[ianstone]

A Great advance, now I hope they can do something to protect our guys from IEDs

[MickDonalds]

Here's the million dollar question though... What will an IED or the worse-an EFP do in this liquid?

There was a scientist in Dallas that wanted to harness the power of liquid nitrogen and some kind of ballistic gel to make a new layering of armor for vehicles. His idea and concept would have revolved around placing electrically charged armor plating with cooling sheets of liquid nitrogen behind it, and then a final layer of ballistic gel on top of the skin of the vehicle. His theory was that once an EFP penetrates the exterior armor, the liquid nitrogen would freeze or cool the penetrator enough to slow it down or stop it.

Of course, liquid nitrogen isn't something that has a long lifespan. Troops would be changing out the tanks of liquid nitrogen left and right.

With that said, with how far armor technology has come in a Mach-5 span of time, we're gonna find out how to beat EFP's completely. We will. BAE, Boeing, Corning Defense, Northrup-Grumman, B6, ArmorWorks, and the all other Industrial-Military fortune 500 companies are rolling in cash right now. I don't fault them, they deserve it if they can help bring more brothers in arms home safe due to their research.

[ianstone]

Hi Mick,
the video show a pack of this wonder gel absorbing a large IED.
I feel the problem is with the shaped charge protection.
One is brut force and the other high pressure molten copper etc.
Both as deadly