Polish liquid body armour to be commercialised soon
PR dla Zagranicy
Roberto Galea
03.04.2015 16:10
Polish scientists are working on a Non-Newtonian liquid to implement in body armour with an option for other applications in the commercial market.
Bullet proof vests have come a long way since they were first introduced. Photo: Wikimedia Commons
The Shear-Thickening Fluid (STF) belongs to a group of Non-Newtonian liquids, which means that unlike water, it changes its viscosity when the forces on it change.
“We tried to achieve an effect of maximum energy absorption, so that the deformation of the cover could be reduced. In this way we managed to minimalise the risk of damage to internal organs,” said deputy director of science at the Moratex Institute, Marcin Struszczyk.
In practice, STF changes its consistency and hardens upon impact at any temperature, providing protection from penetration by bullets and dispersing the energy of the blow.
A team of scientists from three institutions have been working on the invention: the Institute of Security Technologies Moratex in Łódź. the Military Institute of Armament Technology in Warsaw and the Warsaw University of Technology.
Today’s body armour is made of inflexible materials which makes it usable only for certain body parts.
STF is told to overcome such limitations. It might also be used for other products that require materials characterised by energy dispersing capability, e.g., sports clothing or buffer stops.
Struszczyk disclosed that STF is in the last phase of commercialisation.
Companies from all over the world have already expressed their interest in the invention. (ał/rg)
Source: Reuters, PAP