I’m all for better armor for our guys and gals in harm’s way, I just hope this kind of new technology actually gets to them. Even if it only outfits cops though, it will be worth it.
Developed by Norman Wagner, a professor of chemical engineering at the University of Delaware’s Center for Composite Materials, it’s a mix of polyethylene glycol, a polymer found in laxatives and other consumer products, and nanobits of silica, or purified sand. Together they produce a “sheer-thickening liquid” that stiffens instantly into a shield when hit hard by an object. It reverts to its liquid state just as fast when the energy from the projectile dissipates.By holding the fibers tight like a flexible glue, the compound spreads out the impact of a blow better than fibers alone. “The search in the past has been for stronger and stronger filaments,” says Wetzel. “We’ve tried to change how the fabric interacts with the projectile.”
This tech sounds a lot like the “impact armor” Larry Niven used in some of his Sci-Fi stories. Flexible until struck. Cool.
The company recently purchased a materials company to help them commercialize the technology. As this tech needs to be applied to a fiber base, using the best fibers will lead to even better armor.
Integrated Textile Systems, Inc. (“ITS”), a Monroe, North Carolina-based manufacturer of the high-strength material, Tensylon. Tensylon, derived from an ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene polymer, has a wide variety of applications, including advanced fiber composites for use in ballistic products.
A big boon for criminals, too! Now the kops and kriminals can fight it out like two invincible terminators, with only the civilians getting hurt.
The armor is great as long you aren’t going up against a sniper. A marksman can just go through the cracks in the armor. What the armed forces need is an armored exoskeleton.
@Blastum
What you fail to realize is that if this is properly regulated it will not be something easilly available over the counter. I realize that firearms are too easilly obtained through a wide variety of means; however, with this armor hopefully it’s all regulated.
If it even saves one life in Iraq, then it’s worth ti
3: Soldiers’ lives or civilians’ lives?
What do I call body armor that shows a hint of the midriff? Hawt.
Sounds like silly putty. Strech pull twist or whatever by hand, but hit it with a hammer and it shatters like glass.
Except for the “shatter like glass” part.
This could be neet.
Making a Metal mesh sandwich, to cover our space shuttle for protection against Impacts and explosions.
This could lighten the space shuttle considerably.
http://www.armorholdings.com/home/
BIG company.
Great point in #8, ECA.
3 What you fail to realize is that if this is properly regulated it will not be something easilly available over the counter.
Sometimes, it doesn’t even require regulation.
When my Father was a retired peace officer [California], and licensed private investigator – he ordered a copy of the catalog from Second Chance body armor.
I found it interesting for two reasons:
1. They had numerous pictures of police officers in hospital beds, with testimonials of how the armour had saved their lives in shoot-outs and knife attacks.
2. No distributors [local gun shops] were allowed to display advertising in their store or in local ads. They could only contact local law enforcement agencies directly. No sales to the general public were allowed.
If 2nd Chance discovered any of their distributors openly advertising the vests – or selling to “civilians” – they would terminate the contract.
The idea being: once criminals realized the local cops were wearing the flexible vests under their uniforms, the number of cops being shot in the head increased…
yep, very true.
And body armour is only good for the Protected PART.
A scatter gun accross the knees, STILL works very well.
Easyier target, and ya know they are going DOWN because the force is enough to knock them down EVEN with leg armour.
I recall reading about something similar being used by Canada’s Olympic Skiers…
ah, found it 🙂
http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/14/us-canadian-olympic-skiers-get-skintight-armor/
Why only sell this to law enforcement / military? The grandiose argument of having firearms in the home is for self protection. If wearing protective armor, such as this, won’t protect me, then why have the gun?
A woman with a gun very scarey.
14 Why only sell this to law enforcement / military?
So they can continue calling armour-piercing bullets “cop killers”?
Actually, its probably because of those two a-holes who suited-up in ankle-to-neck body armour to rob a bank…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Hollywood_shootout
Larry Phillips cut up several armor vests and fashioned himself arm and leg guards with the kevlar; the protection swathed him from neck to ankles and weighed nearly 42 pounds.
Instead of regular ammunition, the two gunmen were using steel-core armor-piercing bullets. These rounds, though able to penetrate far more through cover such as cars and body armor,…
#16, Mike V, So because somebody abused body armor, no one should be allowed to use it now? Gee, why doesn’t that also apply to non-militia use of automatic weapons? It isn’t like they have never been abused. Or marriage, it isn’t as if a marriage partner hasn’t been abused either. Or campaign donations, it isn’t like they’ve never been abused either.
Going back to Larry Phillips use of body armor. The actual armor didn’t hurt anyone, did it? Wasn’t it the scufflaw under the armor that did the crimes? So whose fault is this, the person with the weapon, or the weapon?
And don’t the police also use armor piercing rounds?
Mike, I’m not aiming at you, only the answer I expected. I just find this so hypocrritical. Defensive gear is considered offensive while offensive weapons are allowed.
wow, and i thought James Rollins was making that stuff up in his book ‘Map of Bones’…