I want undies made of this · 15 February 06
A futuristic flexible material that instantly hardens into armour upon impact is protecting US and Canadian skiers from injury on the slalom runs at this year’s Winter Olympics.
The lightweight bendable material, known as d3o, is worn under normal ski clothing. Skiers normally have to wear bulky arm and leg guards to protect themselves from poles placed along the slalom run.
Although the exact chemical ingredients of d3o are a commercial secret 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.
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. But it is difficult to precisely measure the material’s properties because the hardening effect only last as long as the impact itself.
[ File under: Sports & Geek ]
— Dulcie. 17 February, 10:28 pm