液体装甲
Military technology: Body armour can be made lighter and stronger by incorporating an unusual sort of liquid into its design
军事技术：设计方案中纳入一种不同寻常的液体可以使生产出来的防弹衣重量更轻、强度更高
2010年12月9日|打印版
Dec 9th 2010 | from PRINT EDITION
A SUIT of armour that is lightweight and flexible, yet capable of absorbing the impact of a bullet, is an idea that seems to come from the future. For many years researchers have been investigating designs that might be able to provide such protection by incorporating liquids. BAE Systems, a British defence contractor, seems close to turning such "liquid armour" into reality.
一套盔甲既要轻巧柔韧，还要能够吸收子弹的冲击，这似乎是一个未来之梦。多年来科研人员一直在审查各种设计方案，想要知道通过加入液体是否能获得这种防护效果。宇航系统公司（BAE）是一家英国的防务承包商，该公司似乎已经近于将这种"液体装甲"的梦想化为现实了。
In recent tests at the company's Advanced Technology Centre in Bristol, a special liquid has been used to construct a material that is thinner than normal body armour and yet is able to stop a low-velocity bullet. Work is now under way to see if it can also stop more powerful bullets. If these tests are successful, liquid armour could furnish soldiers with protective clothing that is more comfortable and less cumbersome than existing body armour, and provides them with greater protection.
该公司位于布里斯托尔的先进技术中心在最近的试验中，用一种特殊液体来构建一种比一般的防弹衣薄但能够挡住低速子弹的材料。目前正在进行试验，以便知道这种材料是否也可以挡住冲击力更大的子弹。如果这些试验成功了，士兵们就可以穿上比现在的防弹衣更舒适、更轻巧、防护能力更强的液体装甲防护服。
Liquid armour relies on the properties of materials called shear-thickening fluids. The molecules in such liquids are closely packed but loosely arranged. The material behaves like a liquid in normal conditions, and is able to flow. If subjected to pressure, though, the molecules lock together and behave like a solid. The gooey substance produced by mixing cornstarch with a little water is a commonplace example of such a material. This flows like a liquid when poured yet, if hit with a spoon, reacts like a solid.
液体装甲的上述特点主要是由所谓的"剪切增稠液体"的材料性能决定的。这种液体中的分子可以形成紧密的排列，但平时处于松散状态。正常条件下这种材料就像液体一样，也可以流动。然而一旦受到压力，这种材料的分子就连锁在一起，表现出固体的特征。在玉米淀粉中和入一点水，就得到一团胶粘的物质，这就是一种常见的剪切增稠液体。当你向外倒出这团物质的时候，它就像液体一样；但如果你用勺去敲击这团物质，其效果就像是敲到了固体上一样。
Researchers at the University of Delaware developed shear-thickening fluids for use in liquid armour almost ten years ago. Several military laboratories and defence firms have worked on them since then. Among them was Armour Holdings, an American company that BAE took over in 2007.
特拉华大学的研究人员们几乎在十年前就研制出了用于制作液体装甲的剪切增稠液体。自那以后，好几所军事实验室和数家防务企业都开始了这方面的研究。其中就有装甲控股公司（Armour Holdings）。这是一家美国公司，英国宇航公司在2007年接管了这家公司。
The fluid that Armour Holdings developed is a liquid polymer containing nano-engineered particles of silica, though BAE is coy about the details of what it is using. The new armour is not pure liquid, of course. Rather, the fluid is sandwiched between layers of Kevlar, a high-strength polymer commonly employed in protective gear. When the sandwich is struck by a bullet, the locking together of the molecules in the fluid spreads the load across a wide area, allowing the material to absorb more of the impact. It also distorts less than conventional body armour when it is hit. That means it is less likely to cause serious injury by deflecting inward.
虽然英国宇航公司不肯明说它所使用液体的细节，但装甲控股公司曾经研制的液体是一种含有二氧化硅纳米颗粒的液态聚合物。当然，新的装甲不会是纯粹的液体。新的装甲很可能是在凯夫拉层间夹上这种液体层。凯夫拉是一种高强度的聚合物，普遍采用在防护装备中。当这种夹层装甲被子弹击中后，液体层中的分子就连锁在一起，将冲击负荷扩散到很大的面积上，使这种材料能够吸收更大的冲击。被子弹击中后，这种装甲还能够比传统的防弹衣产生更小的变形。这就意味这种装甲能够产生向内的偏斜，因而降低伤害的程度。
Standard body-armour contains around 30 layers of Kevlar. The material being tested by BAE has only ten Kevlar layers. BAE therefore thinks it may be possible to build body-protection suits that are only around half as thick as existing ones, but still able to offer greater protection. Soldiers would find that a welcome relief.
标准的防弹衣一般约有30层凯夫拉。英国宇航系统公司试验所用的材料只有10层凯夫拉。BAE公司据此认为它可能生产出厚度大约只有现在防弹服一半的防弹服装，但仍然能够具有更强的防弹能力。士兵们很可能要为自己有这样一套防弹衣而感到庆幸了。
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