Fergie's Tech Blog

Battlefield Tech: Liquid Body Armor

Right now, scientists are working on a new breed of armor called "liquid body armor."

One type of liquid body armor is magnetorheological (MR) fluids. Scientists at MIT are working on a particular MR fluid. It is made up of small iron particles suspended in silicon oil. The oil prevents the particles from rusting. The fluid transforms from liquid to solid in just milliseconds when a magnetic field or electrical current is applied to it. The current causes the iron particles to lock in and stack on top of each other.

This creates an amazing impenetrable shield. How hard the substance becomes depends on the strength of the magnetic field or electrical current. Once the charge or magnetic field is removed, the particles unlock, and the substance goes back to a fluid state. Scientists say that it will take five to 10 years to make this substance fully bullet resistant.

posted by Fergie @ 2/28/2006 07:59:00 PM