Boron carbine crystals. Source: Texas A&M University College of EngineeringTo improve the vulnerability of bulletproof vests and other gear to high-speed bullets, engineers from Texas A&M University have created a new recipe for fortifying the material against high-speed ballistics.

By adding a miniscule amount of silicon to the boron carbine used in the making of bulletproof gear, Texas A&M engineers improved the material's resistance to high-speed impacts.

Boron carbide, otherwise known as black diamond, is a man-made material that is second only to cubic boron in terms of hardness. Yet, unlike cubic boron, boron carbide is easier to produce and is commonly used as material in ballistics vests. The lightweight material can withstand ballistics traveling at speeds under 900 meters per second, stopping bullets from standard handguns. However, the material will experience so-called phase transformations, wherein material alters its internal structure, splitting into two or more physical states, for instance simultaneously becoming both a solid and a liquid, when subjected to ballistics traveling above 900 meters per second.

As such, a high-speed bullet will tend to transform boron carbide into a glass-like state, where atoms are erratically arranged versus its former crystalline state where atoms were once consistently ordered. Consequently, the point of impact — where ballistic meets boron carbide — will experience weakened material integrity that transforms the boron carbide into a network of fractures leading to even greater damage, according to researchers.

To combat this, the team built on previous research that suggested the addition of another material, in this case, silicon, could potentially reduce the brittleness of boron carbide. By adding miniscule amounts of silicon to the boron carbide, researchers determined that phase transformation was reduced by 30%.

The team will continue to develop the material and plans on experimenting with other elements like lithium and aluminum as well.

In addition to military and law enforcement applications, the researchers believe that improved boron carbide could be used in nuclear shields, where introducing small amounts of silicon to boron carbide would alter the spacing between atoms, creating pockets of empty space to potentially absorb dangerous radiation from nuclear reactors.

The research appears in the journal Science Advances.