Innovations & technologies

New Super Material Is a Game Changer for Firefighters, Soldiers

Scientists have a new material they say is as strong as Kevlar and way more insulating. The resulting fiber structure could protect first responders and military personnel who are in danger from heat and cold along with ballistic risks.

The existing problem is simple: To keep workers who require extreme protection safe, scientists must layer until they’ve covered all their bases. Why not protect two birds with one stony vest? The scientists write in their paper:

“Currently, protection against both thermal and ballistic threats requires the combination of multiple high-performance materials that increases equipment weight and complexity. Here, we hypothesized we could achieve simultaneous protection by manufacturing a porous network of aligned fibers, combining the mechanical properties of continuous fibers with the thermal properties of porous aerogels.”