A cadet and a professor at the U.S. Air Force Academy conducted more than a year of in-depth research and more than 20 performance tests to develop the most suitable materials, and finally successfully invented a slime that could enhance the defensive effect of existing body armor.
In fact, this was originally part of the 2014 Chemistry Classroom Project, where Hayley Weir was assigned the task of using epoxy resins, aramid fabrics and carbon fibers to develop materials that could withstand bullets.
The project intrigued Will, and the material needs reminded her of non-Newtonian fluids made from cornstarch and water. Euphrosyne becomes thicker and thicker when it encounters external forces, and the name is derived from Dr. Seuss. Seuss) a substance in a book. Creating a material that could hold bullets off without breaking became Vail's goal. One consultant recommends epoxy-based resins that become hard after drying.
"Thinking about that is already the coolest thing I've ever done since I became an officer cadet." Weir, who graduated this spring, said in an interview with The Air Force Times.
But soon after that, Weir had to switch from materials chemistry to military strategy, which made it a huge challenge to continue the research project. But she formed an alliance with Ryan Burke, a professor of military strategy at the Air Force Academy.
Burke, who served in the Navy, was well aware of the inconveniences of current bulletproof armor, and was enthusiastic and anticipated Forwell's research projects.
"When she came up with the idea, my response was, 'Let's get started,'" Burke recalls, "even if going forward meant a terrible failure, I was willing to try it." ”
The supporting science behind this material is actually not new, and Burke thought that the huge defense armament industry had already done similar exploration. But after a series of searches, he found that there was no relevant result at all, and researchers and chemists at the U.S. Air Force Civil Engineering Center said that this is a good idea worth studying in depth.
The two began operations in the second half of 2016, borrowing the engineering center's range, weapons and a high-speed camera. Burke also got in touch with the Marines and asked for help with test materials. Weir used KitchenAid's agitators and plastic cutlery in the lab to make the material, then placed it in a vacuum-sealed bag, spread it out into a quarter-inch-thick layer of material, and finally put it in the middle of the aramid sample sandwich.
When experimenting with 9 mm pistols in the first place, they had little success. "Bullets passed through the material unimpeded, showing no sign of stopping at all." The two returned to the lab again, combed through, re-entered the experiment, and returned to the range on December 9.
Nervous, Weir fired at the bulletproof material.
"Hayley, I think it blocks the bullet!" Burke said this as he revisited the recorded video. This was the first time their material had successfully blocked a bullet.
This year, the two took the results of the research to the Air Force Civil Engineering College for public display, and further raised the standard for the next test.
Weir developed materials to block 9 mm bullets fired at close range, .40 caliber (10.2 mm) Smithsonian bullets, and .44 caliber (11.2 mm) Magnum bullets. Among them, the 9mm bullet penetrated most of the material layer and was finally intercepted in the fiber padding layer, the .40 caliber bullet was intercepted in the third layer, and the .44 caliber Magnum bullet was blocked in the first layer.
The .44 caliber Magnum shell, which is commonly used to hunt elephants, is a "giant bullet," Weir said in an interview with The Air Force Times: "It's also the highest caliber bullet type we've been able to block so far." "Because they can block such bullets, the materials they developed are certified as Third Class body armor, which is usually a mandatory equipment for Air Force security personnel."
The greater the impact of the bullet, the higher the degree of response of the molecules in the material, which means better resistance. As Burke put it, "The greater the impact, the better it hardens, or thickens." ”
"We're very pleased," said Jeff Owens, a senior chemist in charge of the Air Force's Civil Engineering School Research and Development Division, "and now that we have a better understanding of these important variable substances, we will go back and re-screen all available substances, optimize each individually, and see if we can get a higher level of defense material." ”
The materials developed by Vail and Burke are 75 percent less than the amount of fabric used in ordinary military body armor. They may also be used as linings for cars, planes and tents to protect users from the threat of gun flakes.
Burke confidently said: "It will certainly mean a lot to the army on the battlefield." ”
At the level of civil use and social security, this material can also help emergency responders to the problem of shooting and shooting.
"In my opinion, this is far from the beginning," Weir said in early May, "and it will definitely continue to develop and make a lot of progress." ”
While the end-use of the material is unclear at the moment, the U.S. Army and Marine Corps are reportedly looking for ways to reduce the weight of body armor for private use. Citing a study by the U.S. Government Accountability Office, the Army Times pointed out that the work of reducing the weight of body armor is very important, and the average set of ballistic equipment now weighs 27 pounds. The total weight of all the equipment carried by the Navy was as high as 117 pounds (including body armor), and the soldiers were overwhelmed.
Both the Army and the Navy are experimenting with ways to redistribute the weight of supplies that soldiers must carry, including new ways to transport equipment on the battlefield. The IA report also notes that various military departments have upgraded their soft body armor, which in some cases can reduce the weight of 6 to 7 pounds.
(Translator: Liu Xin)