Honeycomb nano foam for body armor

New nano foam fabrics with a honeycomb structure may increase the effectiveness of body armor in preventing traumatic brain injury and blast-related lung injuries, according to researchers at the University of California in San Diego, Calif. Yu Qiao, professor of structural engineering, reports that the nano foam helps disperse the force of impact over a wider area. “They will appear to be less rigid, but will actually be more resistant than ordinary foams,” says Qiao. Open pores of the honeycomb structure make up 50–80 percent of the foam, making it lightweight as well as diffusive. The voids are created by blending two materials together at the molecular level, then using acid etching or combustion to remove one of the two materials.