Shattered! conventional armor-grade PMMA hit by projectile

This slow-motion video demonstrates what happens when a piece of conventional armor-grade polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) is hit by a high-momentum projectile (the momentum is eight times higher than that of a .45-caliber bullet). This video is Nicholas Leventis, professor of chemistry at the University of Missouri-Rolla (Missouri University of Science and Technology) and is used to compare this material with an "aerogel" material Dr. Leventis created that may one day be used for stronger, lightweight armor (see related video, "What happens when aerogel material is hit"). Video courtesy of Hongbing Lu, professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, at Oklahoma State University.

• Category

  Film & Animation

[Tekatoarimo]

To all you smart asses out there... this is NOT aerogel... it's PMMA, read the description (Or the video's title FFS) then go watch the related video "What happens when aerogel is hit"

watch?v=cZqfQ9WAUiM&feature=re­lated

It's the exact same experiment except, with aerogel! IKR. Who'd have guessed?

[phrankus2009]

*My* Question: . . . Is this armor supposed to be reactive/ablative ? ... or ... More like a kevlar vest, to slow and disperse momentum ?? ... or ... Just plain hard and impenatrable ??? The lead developer lists aerogel's brittleness, as a weakness ... a downside, and he talks about modifying/mitigating that ~undesirable~ property.

=?=

[Choice777]

why does it look like it's compression from the left side ? the quality is a bit poor. is the bullet compressing it before shatering it ?

[HypersapienQ]

Mythbusters needs an Aerogel myth!!!

[Turist En]

90-99% of aerogel is air!!!

[chych7]

PMMA is polymethyl methacrylate. AKA plexi-glass, or acrylic. How is this aerogel, which is silicon dioxide + air?

[Drydareelin]

cooool

[Mark Irons]

coooooooooool

[pengy220]

Wow. Just, Wow.