Get ready. A whole new generation of impact performance is coming. Im gunning for yah. Silicone energy dissipating gel Most organic materials are bonded in a linear fashion. These carbon-carbon bonds are quite rigid due to their short bond length, 1.54A, and tight bond angle 109.5 degrees. Little rotation or movement is possible as a result of physical activity stressing the bonds. Vibration of bonds, wagging, and “scissoring” of bonds are well known upon exposure to UV, thermal and IR radiation exposure. Upon exceeding the capability of the bonds to absorb energy, these “stiff” bonds break. Much like a suspension bridge, rigidity in bonds is not well suited for dynamic applications. A strong breeze can destroy a bridge that has limited flexibility. Silicones are quite different from organic compounds due to their helical structure and long bond length, 1.63A and flatter bond angle 130 degrees. They also have very weak intermolecular forces between chains. As a result, silicones can freely rotate, the helical structure can unwind like a spring, or the chain can move about freely to dissipate energy absorbed. Due to their wider bond length, there is a lot of free spacing between atoms and polymer chains. This enables very high compressibility and they can absorb a great deal more energy than organic materials. For this reason, silicones are viewed as chemical shock absorbers. Also, the silicon to oxygen bonds are more durable than carbon to carbon bonds. This is identified by the bond dissociation energies of 108 - 117 for silicone to oxygen and 68 - 88 for carbon to carbon. This results in a material that is well suited for dynamic, high stress, energy dissipation applications. Silicones can also be formulated into soft gels. These gels are utilized in the electronics industry in vibration isolation applications. I feel that these silicone gels utilized as interlayers in a multilayer, laminate can dissipate energy from fractured projectiles. Alternating hard & soft materials, in the laminate should function well and layers not punctured may be recycled. This energy absorbing laminate layer, is anticipated to be installed under a foamed metal composite which is expected to absorb the main impact force. This underlayer cushion should absorb residual energy from a bullet-proof vest after it has taken a round.
Posted on: Wed, 07 Jan 2015 23:36:58 +0000
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