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from the Who's-afraid-of-the-big-bad-bomb? dept.
Armor-Piercing Bullet Turned to Dust When Fired at Composite Metal Foam
Essentially a metal sponge consisting of hollow metal beads within solid metal, composite metal foam (CMF) generally retains some physical properties of its base materials. While its defining characteristic is ultra-high porosity, CMF boasts 5 to 6 times greater strength as well as over 7 times higher energy absorption than previously developed metal foams. Typically created by melting aluminum around hollow metal spheres, it is impressively 70% lighter than sheet metal and 80 times more energy absorbent than steel.
The foam is claimed to be non-toxic, resistant to radiation, fire and heat resistant.
Youtube video (13 seconds) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWmFu-_54fI
Related video (2:30) demonstrates automotive and other applications https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uE_f9rXLlk
Slightly different coverage at https://newatlas.com/metal-foam-bullets/42731/
Another Youtube video, demonstrating an explosion - https://youtu.be/yMVEQh5Akcc
(Score: 5, Interesting) by SacredSalt on Wednesday April 11 2018, @01:02AM
Coat it in rubberized antispalling compound like other good armor, and the dust and spall issue will become much less. The trick to beating most armor is smaller grain bullets and much higher velocities, or burning your way through. Aluminum based armors do have their issues with incendiary rounds -- its what makes fighting in a LAV a hell of a lot less fun than it looks like. So the military applications might be a lot less than ideal.