New Metal Foam Armor Obliterates Bullets To Dust On Impact (discovery.com)

HughPickens.com writes: Discovery Magazine reports that researchers at North Carolina State University have developed a super strong armor material that literally turns bullets to dust upon impact. The armor plating is made in part from composite metal foams, or CMFs, which are both lighter and stronger than traditional metal plating used in body and vehicle armor. The armor -- only an inch thick -- features a ceramic strike face, Kevlar backing, and CMFs in the energy-absorbing middle layer. "We could stop the bullet at a total thickness of less than an inch, while the indentation on the back was less than 8 millimeters," says Afsaneh Rabiei. "To put that in context, the NIJ standard allows up to 44 millimeters indentation in the back of an armor." CMFs are very effective at shielding X-rays, gamma rays and neutron radiation. Other applications include space exploration and shipping nuclear waste which both require a material to be not only light and strong, but also capable of withstanding extremely high temperatures and blocking radiation. A video shows a 7.62 x 63 millimeter M2 armor-piercing projectile that was fired using standard testing procedures established by the Department of Justice for evaluating armor types.

Comments

We should ban this armor

[140Mandak262Jamuna]

We should not allow the police and the military to acquire these armor protection. We know that the second amendment right to bear and keep arms is meant exclusively as a protection against tyrannical government. If the government forces can protect themselves from righteous citizens defending their liberty. The jack booted thugs will simply laugh at the citizen patriots peacefully occupying wild life refuges or graze cattle on land without paying grazing fees and impose their draconian will. It will unleash a tyranny that no founding father would have tolerated.

So we need a constitutional amendment to make sure the forces under the employment of the government are always vulnerable to the guns and ammunition of the law abiding citizens.

Re:Keep Bruce Willis safe!

[Anonymous Coward]

I don't care much for the military, but this looks like a very cool thing for NASA. Keep those astronauts safe from micro meteorites. Especially with the weight consideration.

a) Micrometeoroids fly around at an average of 10 km/sec which is 32,500 feet per second. Typical muzzle velocity of a 30-06 rifle bullet is in the 2,500-2,900 fps range, depending on bullet mass. 12x the velocity = a couple orders of magnitude more kinetic energy per unit mass for the little space rock.

b) Micrometeoroids are small, average mass of about a gram or less, so its cross-sectional area to be caught by armor is far less than a .30 caliber bullet (which is by definition .3" wide). The mechanism of this foam metal stuff is to distribute the impact load over a wide area. Getting hit by something with the cross-sectional area of a needle point isn't playing to its strengths.

So, no. This isn't spaceship armor. Oh, and

c) Fuck you for not caring about the military to the point that you felt the need to throw that snide comment in. What is this, you think there's some kind of nerd/geek street cred to be gained if you dis the military? Like vegetarians who feel the need to tell everyone they don't eat meat? Or hipsters who don't own TVs need to let us all know? Even if you object to how it's used, your callous disregard for the armor that protects the teenage grunts who get sent in is kind of douchey.