JHU-created material could lead to stronger, lighter, safer vehicles

A team of Johns Hopkins University researchers created shock-absorbing material that protects like a metal, but is lighter, stronger, reusable. The new foam-like material could be a game-changer for automobile or aerospace parts.

“We are excited about our findings on the extreme energy absorption capability of the new material,” says senior author Sung Hoon Kang, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering. “The material offers more protection from a wide range of impacts, but being lighter could reduce fuel consumption and the environmental impact of vehicles while being more comfortable for protective gear wearers.”

Kang, who is also a fellow at the Hopkins Extreme Materials Institute, wanted to create a material even more energy-absorbing than current car bumpers. He noticed the typical materials used for these critical protective devices don’t perform well at higher speeds and often aren’t reusable.

The research team was able to add strength while reducing weight with high energy-absorbing liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs), which have been used mainly in actuators and robotics.

During experiments to test the material’s ability to withstand impact, it held up against strikes from objects weighing about four to 15 lb, coming at speeds of up to about 22mph. The tests were limited to 22mph due to limits of the testing machines, but the team is confident the padding could safely absorb even greater impacts.