Military armor inspired by natural pearls
Marie Donlon | September 17, 2019A new lightweight plastic that is 14 times stronger and eight times lighter (less dense) than steel may lead to next-generation military armor. Source: University of Buffalo
Researchers from the University at Buffalo are attempting to improve military armor by taking inspiration from pearls.
A team of researchers led by Shenqiang Ren, Ph.D., professor in the department of mechanical and aerospace engineering and funded by the Army Research Office (ARO), mimicked the outer layer of pearls — which is called nacre, or more commonly, mother of pearl — and developed a lightweight plastic called ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE).
Commonly used in the making of guitar picks and artificial hips, the UHMWPE is eight times lighter and 14 times stronger than steel, and is capable of absorbing the impact of bullets and other dangerous projectiles.
While developing the material, the research team studied mother of pearl, which is created by mollusks arranging a type of calcium carbonate into a structure that looks like interlocking bricks. Similar to mother of pearl, the team developed the UHMWPE with an extremely hard, tough exterior shell that is backed with flexible inner material which deforms and absorbs projectiles. The material also has high thermal conductivity, which enables the material to quickly dissipate heat, helping it absorb energy. Additionally, the researchers also added silica nanoparticles to the material, which further enhanced the material’s properties, thereby creating a potentially stronger material.
Researchers suggest that the material could be used in the body armor, helmets and vests worn by soldiers. Likewise, the team also sees applications as protective armor for helicopters, ships and other military vehicles.
The research appears in the journal ACS Applied Polymer Materials.