bullet-proof custard

Liquid armour 'can stop bullets'

news.bbc.co.uk...

A liquid armour has been shown to stop bullets in tests carried out by UK scientists at BAE systems in Bristol.

The researchers have combined this "shear-thickening" liquid with Kevlar to create a new bullet-proof material.

The company is keeping the chemical formula of the liquid a secret, but it works by absorbing the force of the bullet strike and responding to it by becoming much thicker and more sticky.

The BAE scientists describe it as "bullet-proof custard".

"It's very similar to custard in the sense that the molecules lock together when it's struck," explained Stewart Penny, business development manager in charge of materials development at the company.

CHECK THE VIDEO OUT ON THE LINK..... COOL!

I wonder if the "custard" was an aqueous solution of corn starch, as discussed in this report Solid-State and Mechanical Properties of Aqueous Chitosan-Amylose Starch Films Plasticized With Polyols?

Very interesting.

Related video:

Originally posted by argentus
I wonder if the "custard" was an aqueous solution of corn starch, as discussed in this report Solid-State and Mechanical Properties of Aqueous Chitosan-Amylose Starch Films Plasticized With Polyols?

Very interesting.

Related video:

Wow... Can i get a translation for that link OUCH

I think i get the idea, but i could only recognise certain words like "the, and, of" etc I have heard somethings befour about corn starch properties but i cant remember what i heard but i remember thinking that it is pretty unique.
Unfortunately im behind the "great firewall" in China so im unable to enjoy your video.

reply to post by Master Shen long


Yeah? Well, i think BAE must read these board, because i'm sure i proposed something like this last years on ATS!

I'll see if i can find the post.

Non-Newtonian fluids are an obvious choice for cushioning impacts as the harder they are hit, the harder they resist the impact.

reply to post by spikey


tut tut tut... You should of patend the idea bro.....

im sorry for your loss

reply to post by Master Shen long


I don't buy it, this stuff is a fake.
I promised myself i would never let anybody fool me into spreading paste all over my body in the interest of science ever again.

reply to post by Master Shen long


Lol, Master Shen, love that thread title.

My mum used to make really thick custard, enough to stop bullets too.

I wonder what other uses this may have.

This is cool stuff here. While it is most likely not water and cornstarch, probably some kind of nanotech soup, the principle is the same. The article said that regular kevlar will be used in layers with this "shear thickening" fluid. This would not only absorb and help to spread the impact energy out but also the bullet would not penetrate as far into a person wearing it. I can see this being used in larger scales like in the doors and floors of armored troop carriers too.

reply to post by Master Shen longI suspect it will be effective. I think mythbusters did an episode on how ordinary water is bulletproof to some degree, even targets placed not too far under the surface of the water were undamaged, so of course viscosity changing material could slow the bullet down even more quickly than just water.

However I still think weight will be a major consideration for any type of liquid armor. Kevlar is popular because of it's high strength to weight ratio. We'll have to see if any liquid can match it but I doubt it. Where weight is not much of an issue though, it may be a winner.

reply to post by Master Shen long
Thread title alone deserves S&F

reply to post by g146541

I promised myself i would never let anybody fool me into spreading paste all over my body in the interest of science ever again.

"AGAIN" . Please enlight as too the purpose or persuasive argument that lead to the first application of "paste" .

reply to post by Master Shen long


I saw this in The Sun this morning (I know it's rubbish, but it's entertaining rubbish, lol). How cool is that.

It reminded me of when they made John Tickle run across custard in Brainiac - Science Abuse.

reply to post by Master Shen long


The big question is will this custard reform back to liquid after a specific time of inactivity? Or can the armor's solid form change after the first shot?

For example, wearer gets shot twice by a .22LR and .45ACP, respectively. On the first round, custard armor reacts and solidifies according to the .22LR round's kinetic energy. Then, a split second later, the .45ACP round impacts the custard which solidified only for a .22LR. Can the custard armor solidify more after the first shot? Or will the .45ACP just blast thru the custard armor?

I wonder if the engineers and scientists at BAE got this idea from sci-fi novels and RPGs.