Sinecure Posted February 16, 2006 Report Share Posted February 16, 2006 Yeah, I know the title sounds like the title of the 100's of spams we all get each day. But this is different. Its been discussed on here before, but I tried searching and couldn't find the thread. Plus there's new news here. Apparently the US Ski Team has new speed suits with this stuff actually in there in the forearms and shins. It is some space-age material that is flexible until it is impacted, then it gets hard for as long as the impact lasts, then returns to flexible. Sounds really cool. Can I get a hat/beanie/toque made of this stuff? How about some shorts/butt pad? Think of the potential applications. Here's the text of the article: US and Canadian skiers get smart armour16:52 14 February 2006 NewScientist.com news service Will Knight A futuristic flexible material that instantly hardens into armour upon impact will protect US and Canadian skiers from injury on the slalom runs at this year's Winter Olympics. The lightweight bendable material, known as d3o, can be worn under normal ski clothing. It will provide protection for US and Canadian skiers taking part in slalom and giant slalom races in Turin, Italy. Skiers normally have to wear bulky arm and leg guards to protect themselves from poles placed along the slalom run. Skiwear company Spyder, based in Colorado, US, developed racing suits incorporating d3o along the shins and forearms and offered members of the US and Canadian Olympic alpine ski teams the chance to try them out several months ago. "Now they love it and won't ski without it," claims Richard Palmer, CEO of UK-based d3o Labs, which developed the material. Although the exact chemical ingredients of d3o are a commercial secret, Palmer says the material is synthesised by mixing together a viscose fluid and a polymer. Following synthesis, liquid d3o is poured into a mould that matches the shape of the body part it will protect. Brief impact The resulting material exhibits a material property called "strain rate sensitivity". Under normal conditions the molecules within the material are weakly bound and can move past each with ease, making the material flexible. But the shock of sudden deformation causes the chemical bonds to strengthen and the moving molecules to lock, turning the material into a more solid, protective shield. In laboratory testing, d3o-guards provided as much protection as most conventional protective materials, its makers claim. But Phil Green, research director at d3o Labs, says it is difficult to precisely measure the material's properties because the hardening effect only last as long as the impact itself. However, Green believes it may be possible to alter the properties of d3o for new impact-protection and anti-trauma applications. "There are certainly opportunities to dabble with the chemistry and enhance the effect," he told New Scientist. Another potential application may be sound-proofing. The propagation of sound waves should generate a similar strain to an impact, so it may be feasible to create a material that becomes more sound proof in response to increasing noise. "It could have some very interesting, unexplored properties," Green says. Link to article in New Scientist Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Posted February 16, 2006 Report Share Posted February 16, 2006 You're right, someone (Bob Dea?) posted this a few days ago. The company that developed this is called D3oLabs, and they have a list of companies making products incorporating d3o on their Web site: http://www.d3olab.com/products.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gleb Posted February 16, 2006 Report Share Posted February 16, 2006 funny thing is i was just bout to post this right now. This stuff has so many potential uses, it ridiculous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirk Posted February 16, 2006 Report Share Posted February 16, 2006 You're right, someone (Bob Dea?) posted this a few days ago. The company that developed this is called D3oLabs, and they have a list of companies making products incorporating d3o on their Web site: http://www.d3olab.com/products.html Actually, I think it was Kent that posted it in the Racing forum. Facinating technology! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Posted February 16, 2006 Report Share Posted February 16, 2006 Actually, I think it was Kent that posted it in the Racing forum. Facinating technology! Agreed. Wish they'd build some skateboarding products! My skinned up knees and elbows think so too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-Sub Posted February 16, 2006 Report Share Posted February 16, 2006 I dont get it...if the hardening is in reaction to an impact, how can it possibly be instant? wouldnt it be secondary? science is trippy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gleb Posted February 17, 2006 Report Share Posted February 17, 2006 i told my RA about this. She said that she thinks its something with similar properties of starch, water and something else (i forgot what). She said that when you smoothly put your finger in and out of the solution, it was water like. The moment you try to put ur hand into it really fast, it becomes really, really dense. I find it hard to believe, but i'm going to recreate the experiment. I just can't imagine it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-Sub Posted February 17, 2006 Report Share Posted February 17, 2006 really, really interesting. would love to see/feel it in action. still though...its secondary. the material doesnt have ESP, or even woman's intuition! ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gleb Posted February 17, 2006 Report Share Posted February 17, 2006 I'll let you know when I find out the exact experiment set up from her. Eventually, suits can have something like esp. I bet within the next 25 years nanotechnology will be somehow able to detect an impact before hand. That'll be awesome:biggthump Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coldrider Posted February 17, 2006 Report Share Posted February 17, 2006 http://www.bomberonline.com/VBulletin/showthread.php?t=2556 Hope it hits the consumer market sometime soon. The burning question is: will this allow baseball caps to double as helmets? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erik J Posted February 17, 2006 Report Share Posted February 17, 2006 Mix cornstarch and water to a thick paste. Roll it in the palm of your hands and it will form a solid ball. Stop rolling and it "melts" into your palm. Getting the consistency right can be a little tricky at first but it's mesmerizing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeeW Posted February 17, 2006 Report Share Posted February 17, 2006 This was covered in Popular Science current magazine. Fasicnating, esp for motorcycle racing applications. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack M Posted February 18, 2006 Report Share Posted February 18, 2006 has similar characteristics. squeeze it slowly in your hand and it's all gooey. Roll it into a ball and drop it and it bounces. Or, pull it apart slowly and it draws out into a thin strand. Pull it quickly and it snaps in two. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sinecure Posted February 19, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 19, 2006 That's not what this stuff purports to be. This gets hard instantly, then returns to a softer state after the impact. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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