From the news desk of J&O Fabrics:
A fabric coated in a high tech heat and flame resistant resin that can contain the blast of a bomb: this is not something out of a Marvel comic book. This is a fabric that is now being developed and tested in the United Kingdom.
The resin is an STF (Shear Thickening Fluid) and in it’s most base form, can be made with the correct ratio of corn flower and water. According to a news release from the University of Sheffield where the product was originally developed, “under normal circumstances, the particles in STFs repel each other slightly, however following sudden impact, the extra energy in the system proves stronger than the repulsive forces, causing the particles to clump together in structures called hydroclusters, which bump into each other, consequently thickening the fluid.”
The hope for the aptly named ‘Fly Bag’ is a lightweight, inexpensive fabric ‘bag’ that will line the cargo hold of an airplane. The fabric is still in the developmental stage and will go on sale to airlines in about two years if testing progresses as well as it has been in the recent past.
This is only the beginning for this new technology. The fabric responds to any kind of force including weapons like knives and bullets. Once the fabric is perfected, it will not take long for it to be incorporated into armor and police gear. To watch a video about the making of the Fly Bag as well as more of the technical specifications, visit euronews.net.
