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Gel Packs! Comming soon! (TM) |
Jan 17 2007, 07:32 AM
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#1
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 732 Joined: 1-December 06 Member No.: 10,116 |
Dunno if this is old news or what but:
New Body Armor Technology Now comes word of several new developments in body armor, such as Aberdeen Proving Ground developing new "liquid" body armor for the Military. The key component of the new technology is Shear Thickening Fluid (STF). Comprised of hard nano–particles of silica suspended in liquid polyethylene glycol, STF is non–toxic and can withstand a wide variance in temperatures. The combination produces a system of flowable hard parts with unique properties. In normal use the material is very deformable, but when struck it becomes extremely rigid. The STF is soaked into all layers of Kevlar, which holds it in place and also helps stop the projectiles. The treated Kevlar can be sewn like all other fabrics. The uses for STF are unlimited. Not only can it prevent stabbing, but also could be used in jump boots to stiffen on impact and protect ankles from injury. Source: Soldier of Fortune Magazine down near the bottom of the article. Overall its a rather interesting one too. |
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Jan 17 2007, 07:50 AM
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#2
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Dragon Group: Members Posts: 4,589 Joined: 28-November 05 Member No.: 8,019 |
Form-fitting body armor! Woohoo!
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Jan 17 2007, 07:53 AM
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#3
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Great Dragon Group: Members Posts: 5,889 Joined: 3-August 03 From: A CPI rank 1 country Member No.: 5,222 |
It's come up before. At least 2½ years before, in fact. Search for "shear thickening fluid", for example.
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Jan 17 2007, 08:40 AM
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#4
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 732 Joined: 1-December 06 Member No.: 10,116 |
Well damn you, and your ancientness uppon these boards! A Pox uppon thee! A POX! |
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Jan 17 2007, 03:30 PM
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#5
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Old Man Jones Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 4,415 Joined: 26-February 02 From: New York Member No.: 1,699 |
Shear Thickening Fluid as body armor has been in semi-serious development since the 70s, really. In fiction it's even older.
You can make a STF by mixing cornstarch in water. 1 part water to 1.5–2 parts cornstarch =) |
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Jan 17 2007, 04:41 PM
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#6
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Creating a god with his own hands Group: Members Posts: 1,405 Joined: 30-September 02 From: 0:0:0:0:0:0:0:1 Member No.: 3,364 |
yeah, but cornstarch and water won't stop a 30-06. hopefully this will
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Jan 17 2007, 04:49 PM
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#7
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Manus Celer Dei Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 17,006 Joined: 30-December 02 From: Boston Member No.: 3,802 |
Sure it will, with enough of it.
~J |
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Jan 18 2007, 07:46 AM
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#8
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 732 Joined: 1-December 06 Member No.: 10,116 |
Yeah but thats the thing. IT's one thign to be in 'science fiction' it's a whole other story for it to be starting to be used in actual practical use. Weight is allways an issue. So yeah while 'if you use enough of it' works. The bulk and weight of it is an issue. If it wasnt we'd have guys running around in suits of armor thick enough to stop a direct hit from a cruise missile. The whole point was that what ever it is their using now to help absorb the hit isnt something thats in science fiction. But something that's actually being applied in a practical manner right now, in real life. Not in some book. Of course they dont say a whole lot about it either. But it does at least show that that kinda thing is quickly moving out of the realm of theoretical into actual practical application. |
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Jan 18 2007, 03:02 PM
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#9
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Old Man Jones Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 4,415 Joined: 26-February 02 From: New York Member No.: 1,699 |
"Quickly" is a relative term.
As I said, this technology has been in development in one form or another for over 30 years. Heck, that article in the first post is over a year old. Not a single report or story about it has ever discussed it as being more than in the very very early development, practically still in the conceptual stage. This tells me that they simply are not making any headway into finding a shear thickening material that can stiffen fast enough and hard enough to stop a bullet. -karma |
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Jan 18 2007, 03:37 PM
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#10
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Great Dragon Group: Members Posts: 5,889 Joined: 3-August 03 From: A CPI rank 1 country Member No.: 5,222 |
There are several studies out there of shear thickening fluids used to improve the ballistic resistance of flexible armor materials. Impregnating kevlar sheets with silica particles in ethylene glycol have been repeatedly shown to increase the ballistic resistance of the kevlar sheet to equal that of a neat kevlar sheet of equal area density. For example, a 12-layer kevlar sheet with STF might be able to resist projectile impacts as well as an 18-layer kevlar sheet without STF, while being much thinner and more flexible.
So far there seems to be no significant advantage in protection per weight. A major issue preventing this from coming into use right away is that a soldier's armor vest is supposed to be able to handle extreme weather and quite a bit of abuse for months, which is far longer than the STF is likely to stick around in the armor panels in those conditions. |
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Jan 18 2007, 07:00 PM
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#11
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Running Target Group: Members Posts: 1,428 Joined: 9-June 02 Member No.: 2,860 |
The newer "shear thickening armor" concepts don't immerse the fibers in a bath of the stuff. It's actually embedded in the fibers. |
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Jan 18 2007, 07:57 PM
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#12
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Great Dragon Group: Members Posts: 5,889 Joined: 3-August 03 From: A CPI rank 1 country Member No.: 5,222 |
That's good news. Are there any serious issues left unsolved, then?
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Jan 18 2007, 09:42 PM
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#13
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Running Target Group: Members Posts: 1,428 Joined: 9-June 02 Member No.: 2,860 |
Yeah: transition from prototype to field use. It's the "valley of death" for advanced materials projects. Just because you've got a nifty item doesn't mean anyone's going to buy it. The inertia of current, in-stock equipment is incredible. |
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Jan 19 2007, 04:48 AM
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#14
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Creating a god with his own hands Group: Members Posts: 1,405 Joined: 30-September 02 From: 0:0:0:0:0:0:0:1 Member No.: 3,364 |
yeah, but we need to spend money on the JSF!
forget the troops, let's pretend we need to dogfight the Chinese! |
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Jan 19 2007, 01:49 PM
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#15
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Running Target Group: Members Posts: 1,428 Joined: 9-June 02 Member No.: 2,860 |
Nevermind the Chinese. We need to replace a lot of aging airplanes held together with chewing gum and duct tape. Since we're going to replace 30-year old F16s and F18s and Harriers (all designed for 10-year lives), we might as well make the replacement an improvement. |
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Jan 19 2007, 02:54 PM
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#16
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Old Man Jones Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 4,415 Joined: 26-February 02 From: New York Member No.: 1,699 |
Absolutely true. Why change what you're currently using unless the new tech offers a measurable benefit? If you can't justify the cost of replacing all the existing tech, it will never sell. So far the 'dream' of a thin gel pack that can harden instantly into an impenetrable armor plate is just that, a dream. No shear thickening fluid so far even comes close. The best results so far are to merely improve the protective characteristics of existing types of soft armor. The benefits of which can be also be achieved by simply adding more layers of armor cloth. Which is more likely to be chosen? Personally, I'm of the opinion that this is one of those technologies that will be rendered obsolete by ongoing improvement to existing armor materials, before the new tech can even come to field use. -karma |
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Jan 20 2007, 05:22 AM
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#17
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 732 Joined: 1-December 06 Member No.: 10,116 |
Because simply adding on material makes the armor all that much heavier. Where as if you use the fluid, as was mentioned you get the exact same benifit as having added in those extra 3 layers, but with only the added weight of having added a single additional layer. It might not get outmoded before it sees use like you might think. It might eventually and then resurface when new, vastly superior technology is discovered. Afterall what if say suddenly some one tripped over the formula for a liquid that instead gave the benifit of 5 additional layers at the exact same weight as the current stuff that only gives the benifit of about 3? At that point it's more than enough to start being justifyable. Also if you really want to pack it on, pack on those 3 additional layers AND the liquid. What really will decide it is how economically feasible it is to do that. I mean think about it for a moment. Armor 1 has 13 layers and offers protection X. It costs $600 Armor 2 is identical but has 16 layers and offers not much more protection to the tune of $900 Armor 3 on the other hand has 14 layers and the liquid. Offering the same protection as armor 2, but also has the added benifit of not only weighing say.. 2lbs less, but also is cheaper to the tune of $850 $50 isnt much difference for a single vest. But what if your buying 80,000 vests? Thats a savings of 4 million. |
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Jan 20 2007, 02:33 PM
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#18
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Running Target Group: Members Posts: 1,428 Joined: 9-June 02 Member No.: 2,860 |
Actually, items with very measurable benefits often fail to sell, too. It makes composites designers weep. |
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Jan 20 2007, 07:20 PM
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#19
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Horror Group: Members Posts: 5,322 Joined: 15-June 05 From: BumFuck, New Jersey Member No.: 7,445 |
Yes, but buying 80,000 vests of Armor 1 will save you $240,000,000, or 60 times what buying Armor 3 is worth. |
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