Camouflage Face Paint With Built-In Heat Shield Protects Soldiers’ Skin From Bomb Blasts
- Posted on August 23, 2012 at 10:50pm by
Liz Klimas
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(Photo: AP)
Camouflage paint, which on the surface can help hide soldiers, is now getting an added layer of protection that could shield their faces from harsh blasts.
Scientific American reports the new paint can help protect soldiers from up to 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit. Here’s how it works:
Conventional camo paint has tiny nanoparticles of pigment. They’re great at reflecting visible light—which is why the paint looks green or black or tan. But the particles don’t reflect longer wavelengths, like heat. To do that, you need larger globs of pigment.
So researchers bundled together a bunch of those smaller particles into chunks the size of grains of sand—large enough for heat rays to bounce right off. And they swapped out the grease for silicone which adds smoothness and spreadability to cosmetics, but won’t catch fire.
The research was conducted by scientists at the University of Southern Mississippi, funded through the U.S. Department of Defense and presented at an American Chemical Society meeting this week.
New Scientist reports that the paint was able to protect the skin completely from the heat for two seconds and from first-degree burns for 15 seconds. Researchers believe this could give soldiers the necessary time to get away from a blast as unscathed as possible.
Watch the demonstration of the product:
CNET reports the researchers saying they had to overcome many challenges to create the shielding paint, especially given that the flammable compound DEET had to be included in the material to repel insects.
“We didn’t think we could do it,” Richard Lockheed with the university said according to CNET.
New Scientist also points out that the researchers are developing a colorless version to be used by firefighters. CNET reports they will also be testing their technique on materials, like fabric, as well.
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guzman_uxo
Posted on August 26, 2012 at 6:20pmAs an EOD veteran, I’m saying this was a huge waste of money for defense purposes. Did they make the face paint resistant to the rapidly moving sharp pieces of heated metal that comes from most explosive devices?
What are the effects on human skin, will it likely give our troops cancer like the deet we had in the gray tubes that they no longer give out?
They strip the DoD of military health care and are reducing monies also for veterans. But this ultra sun screen is what we get for our tax dollars.
Report Post »Lt_Scrounge
Posted on August 24, 2012 at 9:00pmI remember those sticks of camo paint. I hated that crap so bad that in ROTC I dug down through six inches of sand to reach the layer of ash from a brush fire years before to use instead. The other students were ticked off but the instructors thought it showed a lot of initiative. It didn‘t take nearly as long to get off and didn’t cause the break outs that the little sticks did.
Report Post »davidwjohnson
Posted on August 24, 2012 at 4:28pmImagine 1,000 years from now where technology has invented personal force fields able to withstand a 10 megaton nuclear blast. Instead of war being over in a few months, it will take centuries to fight.
Report Post »bobefann
Posted on August 24, 2012 at 9:52amComing from Marine Corps Infantry I can tell you one thing, nobody wears facepaint of a patrol… nobody.
Report Post »bobefann
Posted on August 24, 2012 at 10:05amWaste of money on something that will not get used unless forced to use. It’s impossible to wear facepaint in a place that is so hot, your constantly sweating. It would become a deterant and a liability rather than something that could help.
Report Post »Dismayed Veteran
Posted on August 24, 2012 at 11:10amThe only time we wore facepaint was for posing in pictures to send home.
Report Post »garylee123
Posted on August 24, 2012 at 2:03pmEver get silicone in your eyes? I have. And it’s hard to wash out.
Report Post »Timmtamm
Posted on August 24, 2012 at 2:28pmI think more impressive is the possible firefighter application. This is great!
Report Post »LuvsYeshua
Posted on August 24, 2012 at 3:31pmThis is complete nonsense. It’s not the heat from a blast that gets you, it’s the pressure, concussion, and shrapnel from it. And if you are in a situation where you are on fire, it’s going to be your clothes, arms and legs that will be burning.
I’m sure they will get a sweet $100 million DoD contract out of it though.
Report Post »Wolfgang the Gray
Posted on August 24, 2012 at 7:17pmI wonder if you painted your car with that, would it be as hot when parked out in the summer sun all day?
Report Post »Speedypete
Posted on August 24, 2012 at 8:18amThis protects from bomb blasts? It actually protects the soldiers from infra-red intensified night vision scopes and probably provides limited concealment to the eyes in the sky. My educated guess is that the bomb blasts are secondary or beyond.
Report Post »iamhungry
Posted on August 24, 2012 at 5:56amdeveloped at a university with taxpayer money. never say that government spending doesn’t work.
Report Post »MajorLeagueInfidel
Posted on August 24, 2012 at 7:43amGovt Spending in INVESTMENT is a good thing, especially in future capital like workers educations, spending given to be directly spent on consumption with nothing twords future capital does nothing, long term.
Report Post »tothepoint
Posted on August 24, 2012 at 5:54amWonderful. We want the best for all our military.
Report Post »Quite unlike Obama, we support and respect all our military.
Master_and_Commander
Posted on August 24, 2012 at 2:23amI love to hear encouraging stories like this, every little bit of useful technology can make a difference and helps these guys on the front lines
Report Post »k8ti
Posted on August 24, 2012 at 2:12amThis is awesome!
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on August 24, 2012 at 1:17amSeeking to be Bullet Proof… without Arndroids or EMF Body Shields… they seek the next best thing for the Super Soldier!
Report Post »ThoreauHD
Posted on August 24, 2012 at 12:42amThis could be extremely useful.
Report Post »princessnutsack
Posted on August 24, 2012 at 12:41amcertainly nothing toxic would be found in face paint with a heat shield. just like carcinogens aint found in makeup.
Report Post »Cesium
Posted on August 23, 2012 at 11:07pmHow bout some for firemen
Report Post »Sirfoldallot
Posted on August 24, 2012 at 12:45amHow about player having this out on the golf course.
Report Post »ObserverOnTheHill
Posted on August 23, 2012 at 11:00pmWhat’s the difference between Obama supporters and Romney supporters ?
Romney supporters sign their checks on the FRONT
Report Post »SimpleTruths
Posted on August 23, 2012 at 11:36pmRomney signed the back of the 1.3 billion check he asked for and received from the federal government to fund the Salt Lake City Olympics.
Hmmm, Salt Lake City. Isn’t that the home of a certain religious faith/organization?
Report Post »JACKTHETOAD
Posted on August 24, 2012 at 4:33amHow do you get 100 Obama supporters out of a swimming pool?
Throw in a bar of soap.
Report Post »TIME_2_END_THE_PAUL_CAMPAIGN_IN_12
Posted on August 23, 2012 at 10:59pmSounds great… but does it mesh well when you add a wee bit o’ “cutter bug repellent” for that added protection?
Report Post »RJJinGadsden
Posted on August 23, 2012 at 11:54pmTIME, I was wondering how well it stands up to scratching an itch? Just take plenty of plastic jars of cold cream with you in the field and a small mirror for popping zits.
Report Post »JACKTHETOAD
Posted on August 24, 2012 at 4:36amRJ, I wonder if it’ll help when the little dog pulls their pants down to reveal half their butts. (…too bad it won’t work for chemmers or bios.)
Report Post »TIME_2_END_THE_PAUL_CAMPAIGN_IN_12
Posted on August 24, 2012 at 5:26amRJJ and JACK … Lol.
Report Post »Psychosis
Posted on August 23, 2012 at 10:58pmas a volunteer firefighter………………i want some
Report Post »Diane TX
Posted on August 24, 2012 at 1:36amI thought about firefighters when I read this. That would really be helpful.
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