When we think about bulletproof armor, our mind imagines a thick, bulky, and heavy looking vest to wear over the clothes. That may no longer be the case as The City University of New York is conducting a research led by Professor Elisa Riedo. The graphene armor research shows that two layers of stacked graphene can harden to a diamond-like consistency upon impact.
The wonder material graphene is made up of carbon atoms linked together in a honeycomb pattern and is only one atom thick. It is probably the world’s strongest material we have seen its uses in different fields including computer circuitry, solar storage, car batteries, smartphone screens, and even trainer shoes.
The new material made up of just two sheets of graphene, upon a silicon carbide substrate is known as diamene. It is as light and as flexible as a foil. How would you expect a material like that stop bullets? Things change when sudden mechanical pressure is applied at room temperature and it becomes ever harder than bulk diamond.
The material used to build graphene armor was conceived by professor Angelo Bongiorno. He did not make the physical models but his computer models indicated that it should work if the two sheets are aligned correctly. Riedo and colleagues then conducted experiments on samples of actual diamene and they were found to back up professor Angelo’s findings.
We might see the graphene armor become a reality in a short amount of time and it will change the way law enforcement agencies wear bulletproof armor for operations.
This video from Rice University shows the strength of Graphene as compared to other materials:
Check out Graphene composites LtD, a UK based startup that has already a bullet-proof vest based on graphene