Graduate student Beijun Shen places the liquid crystal elastomer structure in a drop tester machine. Photo: Johns Hopkins University.A team of researchers at Johns Hopkins University has created a shock-absorbing material that protects like a metal but is lighter, stronger and reusable. The new foam-like material could be a game-changer for helmets, body armor, and automobile and aerospace parts. The researchers report their findings in a paper in Advanced Materials.
“We are excited about our findings on the extreme energy-absorption capability of the new material,” said senior author Sung Hoon Kang, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering. “The material offers more protection from a wide range of impacts, but being lighter could reduce fuel consumption and the environmental impact of vehicles while being more comfortable for protective gear wearers.”
Kang, who is also a fellow at the Hopkins Extreme Materials Institute, wanted to create a material that was even more energy-absorbing than current car bumpers and helmet padding. He noticed that the typical materials used for these critical protective devices don’t perform well at higher speeds and often aren’t reusable.
The research team was able to add strength while reducing weight by utilizing high energy-absorbing liquid-crystal elastomers (LCEs), which have so far mainly been used in actuators and robotics.
During experiments to test the material’s ability to withstand impact, it held up against strikes from objects weighting from four to 15 pounds, traveling at speeds of up to about 22 miles per hour. The tests were restricted to 22 miles per hour due to the limits of the testing machines, but the team is confident the padding could safely absorb even greater impacts.
Kang and his team are now exploring a collaboration with a helmet company to design, fabricate and test next-generation helmets for athletes and the military.
This story is adapted from material from Johns Hopkins University, with editorial changes made by Materials Today. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent those of Elsevier. Link to original source.