Sheer-thickening liquid hardens on impact, could spark next gen body armour

Scientists at BAE Systems in Bristol have come up with a “shear-thickening” liquid that can be combined with Kevlar to create a new more powerful bullet-proof material, for security jobs and armed personnel. Similar to the “body armor” used by some Olympic skiers, the shear-thickening material acts as a lubricant at low velocities, but quickly hardens upon impact. The scientists describe it as “bullet-proof custard,” which shouldn’t make us hungry but is for some reason.

According to BAE, recent tests in which a large gas gun fired metal projectiles at over 300 meters / second into both thirty-one layers of untreated kevlar and ten layers of kevlar combined with the liquid have determined that the liquid armor could be used to effectively protect soldiers from bullets and shrapnel.