New Gel That Stops Bullets

A small British company has developed a new bullet-proof shock-absorbing gel that could save the lives of troops on the battlefield.

The supple gel, known as D3O, can be stitched into clothing or equipment. The substance employs “intelligent molecules” that “shock lock” together to absorb energy and create a solid pad. Once the pressure has been relieved, the gel returns to its original state.

Richard Palmer, who invented the gel explains:

“When moved slowly, the molecules will slip past each other, but in a high-energy impact they will snag and lock together, becoming solid…
“In doing so they absorb energy.”

The Ministry of Defence has awarded £100,000 to the D30 lab to further develop the material in hope that it may soon be fitted to the inside of soldiers’ helmets, reducing half the kinetic energy of a bullet or piece of shrapnel hopefully making them
impenetrable.

The d3O gel is already being used in sporting goods like ski gloves, shin guards, ballet shoe pointes and horse-riding equipment.

If the product is taken on by defence contractors it could also be used to reduce the current bulky and restrictive Armour used by troops in on the frontline.

Mr Palmer said it was the equivalent to comparing “cumbersome” RoboCop to Spiderman with the latter’s protection “nimble covert and flexible”.

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