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The future of body armor may be just around the corner. Forget Kevlar! Liquid body armor hardens on impact
The new super gel from global defense, aerospace, and security company BAE Systems means body armor that will provide far greater protection at a drastically lighter weight -- with more flexibility to boot.
The liquid can even be pasted between sheets of Kevlar, the body armor standard considered five times stronger than steel -- and transforming it into super armor thinner and about half the weight of the average bullet-proof vest.
Formally known as Shear Thickening Liquid, the fluid has special particles that are freely suspended. The particles collide when the fluid is disturbed, which creates a resistance to the disturbance.
When the force of the disturbance is large enough, the particles will then actually “lock” together. So when a bullet hits the material at speed, the liquid armor absorbs the impact energy and hardens extremely quickly.
The liquid can even be pasted between sheets of Kevlar, the body armor standard considered five times stronger than steel -- and transforming it into super armor thinner and about half the weight of the average bullet-proof vest.
Formally known as Shear Thickening Liquid, the fluid has special particles that are freely suspended. The particles collide when the fluid is disturbed, which creates a resistance to the disturbance.
When the force of the disturbance is large enough, the particles will then actually “lock” together. So when a bullet hits the material at speed, the liquid armor absorbs the impact energy and hardens extremely quickly.
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