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/sci/ - Science & Math

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5249521 No.5249521 [Reply] [Original]

Hi /sci/
/k/ommando reporting in. Is there a chemical that when exposed to air will solidify? Or, alternatively, is there a chemical that will solidify when it comes into contact will superheated metal (like bullets or shrapnel)?
>hard mode: it has to be light enough to fit into a vest and carried by a soldier?

>> No.5249528

Newtonian fluid come to mind

>> No.5249537

bump for future ballistic protection

>> No.5249551

Why does it have to be air?
If you just put two layers of chemicals, anything that penetrates will force them together at that spot. They'll harden at the point of contact, like gorilla glue and water.

>> No.5249563

>>5249537
Because if you put it in a vest, then the air will solidify the chemical and then it will stop the projectile.
that what I'm thinking anyway, but I'm not the greatest at science and such

>> No.5249576

>>5249563
I wasn't aware that bullets lodged in your chest deciding to turn around and come back out was a major issue.

>> No.5249602

Chemist here:

There's not really anything that is that reactive with a metal that also isn't going to be stupidly harmful to the wearer of the vest. I can't think of anything offhand that would even react fast enough.

The air sensitive idea has similar problems. Besides that, by the time the air reacts the bullets exiting your back. Timescale is too similar.

Ballistic plates are made from tough ceramics for a reason. Most materials simply can't take the impact, and there are like 3 materials that are sort of made from "air". BN, B4C, and Al2O3 all are not spontaneous products under normal conditions.

>> No.5249628

>>5249528
you mean non-newtonian?

OP the air idea is terrible. What you need is something changes stiffness based on the amount of kinetic energy being transferred i.e. a so called non-newtonian fluid

it will be flexible when worn, but will harden when a bullet hits it.

>> No.5249650

>>5249628
Make a vest out of cornstarch and water
problem solved.

>> No.5249654

>>5249528
>>5249628

Mythbusters tried this exact thing when trying to make their own bulletproof vests. It didn't work like you'd think.

>> No.5249669

>>5249654
>implying Mythbusters are qualified materials engineers or scientists of any caliber

shiggydiggitydoo

>> No.5249676

What about this:

Take an (almost) incompressible fluid and stuff it into some material (almost) unpenetrable by a bullet, so that the impact energy would spread to a larger area... Any thoughts?

>> No.5249677

>>5249669

They shot a bullet into cornstarch and it went through. Didn't know you had to be an engineer to see a bullet hole. Here's another instance:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2cVK3zpJR0

Not claiming them to be professionals either. But a bit hard to argue with the results. But who knows combining it with other technology might be more promising. But it can't do it on its own.

>> No.5249702

>>5249677
fucking retard there are plenty of other non newtonian fluids that don't consist of cornstarch and water and have completely different behavior

>> No.5249703

>>5249677
http://www.fastcompany.com/1668668/uk-scientists-demo-bulletproof-liquid-armor

>> No.5249718

>>5249677
Just following related videos
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYIWfn2Jz2g&feature=related
Cool shit. I imagine it'd be less effective against bullets, but with a good geometry of the armor after that arrow test, or a different fluid, who knows?