Liquid body armor technology licensed by UD

Norman Wagner, Alvin B. and Julia O. Stiles Professor of Chemical Engineering

1:22 p.m., Feb. 24, 2006--A new technology developed by a University of Delaware researcher to improve ballistic fabrics and protective armor products is now being commercialized. Armor Holdings Inc., a leading manufacturer of security products and vehicle armor systems, announced Friday, Feb. 24, that it has been selected as an exclusive licensee by the UD Technology Corp. (UDTC).

The unique shear thickening fluid technology has been under active development for the last five years at the UD Center for Composite Materials by Norman Wagner, Alvin B. and Julia O. Stiles Professor of Chemical Engineering, in cooperation with Eric Wetzel of the U.S. Army Research Laboratory's Weapons and Materials Research Directorate, a UD alumnus.

Shear thickening fluid can be intercalated into conventional ballistic fabrics or other materials used in armor applications, allowing them to remain flexible under normal wear but simultaneously becoming resistant to penetration when struck by a spike, knife or high velocity projectile or fragment by effectively spreading the energy of the impact over a larger area.

Tony Russell, chief technology officer for Armor Holdings, said the new technology “has the potential to unlock entirely new and better solutions that will leapfrog to the next generation of armor and other lifesaving equipment.” He added that researchers at both UD and with the Army “have done an outstanding job of creating the core technology and demonstrating its advantages.”

In lab tests when a block of foam covered with untreated Kevlar is stabbed with an ice pick (above right), the point goes through the fabric and into the foam. Another block, wrapped in four layers of Kevlar that had been soaked in shear-thickening fluid, blocks the ice pick with no apparent damage.

“We are proud to have been selected to assume development responsibility for this important technology and we look forward to rapidly fielding products that will help better protect those who operate in harm's way,” Russell said. “This represents an important new addition to the Armor Holdings portfolio of core technologies and further allows us to select and apply the best material for each application.”

Armor Holdings, which will be the sole commercial provider of this technology in applications related to body armor vests and extremity protection, helmets and gloves for protective use worldwide, anticipates fielding the first products later this year.
Armor Holdings has selected Barrday Inc. as a partner for development and production of shear thickening fluid-based ballistic fabrics because the organization has strong complimentary experience in weaving fabrics from high strength fibers as well as applying films, resins, finishes and coatings for both soft and hard armor applications.

“This has been an extremely successful collaboration between the Army Research Laboratory and the University of Delaware Technology Corporation, and we believe this technology has the potential to yield new and valuable products that will provide better protection to those who need it,” Wagner and Wetzel said. “Armor Holdings has a proven ability to take technologies, such as this, improve upon them and rapidly develop them into products that can be used in the marketplace. Dozens of dedicated researchers contributed to this project over the past several years and we look forward to seeing the results of their work being used to help save and protect lives.”

Article by Neil Thomas
Photos by Kathy F. Atkinson

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