Thai silk cocoon vests can 'catch bullets'

[Lite Beer]

Thai silk cocoon vests can 'catch bullets'
KAWINTRA JAISEU
THE NATION

A KHON KAEN University researcher and a weaver from the Northeast have successfully developed what has been labelled the world's first silk-cocoon bulletproof vest.

The men behind the innovation are Orapin Thongnonggoy, Phu Viang Silk Handicraft Centre's community enterprise president, and KKU chemical engineering lecturer Assoc Prof Panomkorn Khoahong.

Inspired by a desire to help soldiers and police perform their duties in the strife-torn deep South, the inventors tried to come up with a better quality bullet-resistant vest using silk cocoons as the main material.

The invention won a regional award at the Department of Intellectual Property's product innovation contest and the men will represent the upper Northeast in the national arena with this creation.

Panomkorn said silk was selected as the most effective material because despite its thin diameter, silk was unbelievably strong and stretchy.

He said the strength of silk threads measured 4.8 gigapascals and its flexibility allowed it to stretch 35 per cent. A two-year study that helped create the vest found its fibres could "catch" bullets or reduce their speed - from .22 calibre weapons to an M16 - without the bullets protruding into the body.

That meant the wearer is protected from internal injuries, unlike if a person wears a soft-body armour vest, as they do not cause a bullet to ricochet like a hard-body armour vest. Silk cocoons not yet drawn to their full extent is the key.

The cocoons are laid in a mould and specialised resin is poured into the moulds so the cocoons stick together.

After being suppressed with a hydraulic machine for eight hours, the vest is 20-millimeters thick and weighs four kilograms.

It is 2.5 times cheaper than general bulletproof vests, Panomkorn said.

The cost of producing a 2.4kg silk cocoon sheet is around Bt2,000 and the specialised resin costs Bt1,500.

KKU Faculty of Engineering dean Prof Dr Apirat Siritaratiwat said projects to make innovative bulletproof vests could be beneficial to government sectors, especially the military. The university aimed to introduce the silk bulletproof vest project to the Ministry of Defence, he added.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Thai-silk-cocoon-vests-can-catch-bullets-30268649.html

-- The Nation 2015-09-12

[Reigntax]

Well there are plenty of butterflies in Thailand but I doubt many are interested in the silk production industry.

Would you trust your life on a kevlar tried and tested vest or would you prefer one of these Thai developed Ver2 silk vests an improvement on the Ver 1 vests using old X ray films

Edited September 11, 2015 by Reigntax

[willyumiii]

One of the reasons the Mongol hordes were so successful is that while their opponents wore heavy mettle armor, the Mongls wore a light weight leather shield and a silk tunic under that.

The silk would prevent arrows from penetrating very deep and provided pretty good protection.

This made the Mongols much faster and maneuverable on their horses,

and much harder targets to hit or catch in battle.

[Seastallion]

As said, the Mongols were using silk vests very effectively. I understood the effectiveness was due to very tight weaving, and would suggest that they look at somehow interlocking the cocoons, not just gluing them together.

" from .22 calibre weapons to an M16 "

I'm no gun nut, but isn't an M16 also 22 calibre? And shouldn't the tests be with 9mm handguns as being very common?

[jaywalker]

As said, the Mongols were using silk vests very effectively. I understood the effectiveness was due to very tight weaving, and would suggest that they look at somehow interlocking the cocoons, not just gluing them together.

" from .22 calibre weapons to an M16 "

I'm no gun nut, but isn't an M16 also 22 calibre? And shouldn't the tests be with 9mm handguns as being very common?

Yep. an M16 is a .223 (5.56 mm), so is 3 thousands of an inch bigger = pretty much the same as a .22

The main difference is the amount of gunpowder behind the lead.

My National Guard buddy shot his Army issued kevlar helmet with a .22 magnum when they took away our steel pots in about 1986. He was just testing it out, so set it about 20 feet away & shot it.

It punched right through it. I doubt a 9mm would have done the same though.

Same as a needle going through thread, your finger won't pass through due to it being bigger.

Testing it w/ a .22 is probably the best.

Edited September 12, 2015 by jaywalker

[IMA_FARANG]

A bulletproof vest, even if it does stop the bullet. may not protect the wearer from Harm or damage by a fast moving round.

That's because of the momentum of the round that must be dissipated somehow.

In other words, even if the round doesn't penetrate the "bulletproof vest" the "shock" from a fast moving bullet may knock you right off your feet.... or even break bones in your body.

Although a M-16 round is only a .223 caliber round, it is traveling at a high velocity and may bring down a full grown man from it's velocity "shock" on impact. (momentum) alone.

[worgeordie]

Will he be charged with having weapons of war,like

the Hong Kong journalist ?,maybe not.

regards Worgeordie

[Always18]

I think I'd put my trust in a slightly lighter ceramic body armour (trauma) plate rather than glued-together silk cocoons.................

[sungod]

As said, the Mongols were using silk vests very effectively. I understood the effectiveness was due to very tight weaving, and would suggest that they look at somehow interlocking the cocoons, not just gluing them together.

" from .22 calibre weapons to an M16 "

I'm no gun nut, but isn't an M16 also 22 calibre? And shouldn't the tests be with 9mm handguns as being very common?

If it stops 5.56, then 9mm would be a walk in the park

[jaywalker]

A bulletproof vest, even if it does stop the bullet. may not protect the wearer from Harm or damage by a fast moving round.

That's because of the momentum of the round that must be dissipated somehow.

In other words, even if the round doesn't penetrate the "bulletproof vest" the "shock" from a fast moving bullet may knock you right off your feet.... or even break bones in your body.

Although a M-16 round is only a .223 caliber round, it is traveling at a high velocity and may bring down a full grown man from it's velocity "shock" on impact. (momentum) alone.

I doubt getting shot would be very much fun, but being shot with a vest on has to be infinitely better than the other way around.

[pmarlowe]

now all they need is a vest that keeps them from getting killed by rich people in expensive cars...

[sunshine51]

In the US, DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) has ben working on spider silk

body armour for quite some time now. The spiders (Bark Spiders) are abundant & as co-operative

as any large spider can be. Two main problems faced the researchers....spider silk is very thin so

a lotta silk is needed...and the silk needs to be enhanced with more of the spidersilk protein so the

body armour will work as advertised.

The benefits of spidersilk body armour is a huge weight savings....say only a couple pounds instead

of a set that weighs in at nearly 60 pounds and is stiff as plank. Now for the most important part...

the few avilable at present will defeat all rounds from .22 caliber up to 7.62 x 51 AP....at point blank

range. It gives no protection to the wearer against .50 caliber ammunition though.

If this silkworm & epoxy contraption proves it's mettle...good for the lads who invented it & I wish em

all the success they'll deserve. But the technology is not new....it's just a Thai way of achieving the

desired results.

Link to a Discovery page on spider silk body armour...

http://news.discovery.com/tech/gear-and-gadgets/body-armor-spider-silk-121015.htm

BTW...this new body armour is not available to civilians & only available to certain government

entities such as some but not all SOFpersonell, some FBI, some DHS, some Secret Service and

a few others.

[NCC1701A]

maybe i will start wearing a silk shirt when i ride my big bike...

[kovaltech]

As said, the Mongols were using silk vests very effectively. I understood the effectiveness was due to very tight weaving, and would suggest that they look at somehow interlocking the cocoons, not just gluing them together.

" from .22 calibre weapons to an M16 "

I'm no gun nut, but isn't an M16 also 22 calibre? And shouldn't the tests be with 9mm handguns as being very common?

I am a gun nut :-)

If it can stop a .17 bee caliber, it can stop almost anything...

If it can stop a M16 bullet, it sure can stop a 9mm or even a .44 magnum...

But can it stop an arrow of a crossbow ? or a sharp ice-pick ?

Only if the bullets gets "flattened" it will be stopped by a kevlar vest. That why they ad ceramic or steel plates in heavy armour vests..

But even a standard 308 armor piercing round( Caliber .30 or 7,62 mm) ( will blast thru ) ( if you look to the standard ammo for the machine guns used and in use, you'l see 1 black ( armor piercing) one red ( tracer round) and 3 standard bullets, this for every 5 rounds...

Stil to be found by the thousands lying around... Same for the 30-06 standard rifle, with the ammo from the .30 machine gun...

[Don Mega]

Yeah the Thai police started using silk for ballistic vests in the late 90's.... why is this anything new ?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/379338.stm

[Don Mega]

A bulletproof vest, even if it does stop the bullet. may not protect the wearer from Harm or damage by a fast moving round.

That's because of the momentum of the round that must be dissipated somehow.

In other words, even if the round doesn't penetrate the "bulletproof vest" the "shock" from a fast moving bullet may knock you right off your feet.... or even break bones in your body.

Although a M-16 round is only a .223 caliber round, it is traveling at a high velocity and may bring down a full grown man from it's velocity "shock" on impact. (momentum) alone.

A vest constructed to meet what ever ballistic standard that has been considered (Lets say NIJ 0101.04 level 3-A which is for hand guns, any rifle will need a hard plate) in this instance (defeat 9mm FMJ and .44 magnum SWC) has allowable maximum limits of backface deformation with the armour. Too much and your chest bones will implode.....

Falling on the ass is optional though.

Edited September 12, 2015 by Don Mega

[AGareth2]

is it more effective than an amulet?

[bangon04]

I am sure we are all looking forward very much to the press conference on primetime TV where a senior army General with lots of medals will demonstrate the effectiveness of this great new Thai invention by volounteering to be shot while wearing the vest. As a control, a random Burmese migrant worker will be selected to provide a comparison without the vest.

[Artisi]

is it more effective than an amulet?

Depends on where you got the amulet and how much folding stuff was requested to effect protection.

[chainarong]

I don't think a vest that catches bullets is quite what I am looking for , one that deflects is what I am looking for.

[oxo1947]

They should sell well in the American school system.....................

[sanuk21]

A bulletproof vest, even if it does stop the bullet. may not protect the wearer from Harm or damage by a fast moving round.

That's because of the momentum of the round that must be dissipated somehow.

In other words, even if the round doesn't penetrate the "bulletproof vest" the "shock" from a fast moving bullet may knock you right off your feet.... or even break bones in your body.

Although a M-16 round is only a .223 caliber round, it is traveling at a high velocity and may bring down a full grown man from it's velocity "shock" on impact. (momentum) alone.

A vest constructed to meet what ever ballistic standard that has been considered (Lets say NIJ 0101.04 level 3-A which is for hand guns, any rifle will need a hard plate) in this instance (defeat 9mm FMJ and .44 magnum SWC) has allowable maximum limits of backface deformation with the armour. Too much and your chest bones will implode.....

Falling on the ass is optional though.

"Falling on the ass is optional though"....very diplomatic.....

"a fast moving bullet may knock you right off your feet.... ​" but only in Hollywood!

[Bulldozer Dawn]

One of the reasons the Mongol hordes were so successful is that while their opponents wore heavy mettle armor, the Mongls wore a light weight leather shield and a silk tunic under that.

The silk would prevent arrows from penetrating very deep and provided pretty good protection.

This made the Mongols much faster and maneuverable on their horses,

and much harder targets to hit or catch in battle.

Not to mention the added lift to the moral of the Mongol hordes knowing that they were smartly dressed.

The female denizens of the raided villages would often call out: "Hello hansum man. You want pillage. You pillage me long time."

[jaywalker]

As said, the Mongols were using silk vests very effectively. I understood the effectiveness was due to very tight weaving, and would suggest that they look at somehow interlocking the cocoons, not just gluing them together.

" from .22 calibre weapons to an M16 "

I'm no gun nut, but isn't an M16 also 22 calibre? And shouldn't the tests be with 9mm handguns as being very common?

I am a gun nut :-)

If it can stop a .17 bee caliber, it can stop almost anything...

If it can stop a M16 bullet, it sure can stop a 9mm or even a .44 magnum...

But can it stop an arrow of a crossbow ? or a sharp ice-pick ?

Only if the bullets gets "flattened" it will be stopped by a kevlar vest. That why they ad ceramic or steel plates in heavy armour vests..

But even a standard 308 armor piercing round( Caliber .30 or 7,62 mm) ( will blast thru ) ( if you look to the standard ammo for the machine guns used and in use, you'l see 1 black ( armor piercing) one red ( tracer round) and 3 standard bullets, this for every 5 rounds...

Stil to be found by the thousands lying around... Same for the 30-06 standard rifle, with the ammo from the .30 machine gun...

I doubt many folks know this. Hell I didn't until recently.

A .30-06 round.

.30 calibre.....but why the -06?

The US Army approved the round for use in their weapons in 1906.

Yeah an M16 round might be a tiny caliber at 5.56 mm, but the brass & gunpowder behind it are nothing to be sneezed at.

I've shot thousands of M16 rounds in the Army.

My nephew bought an AR-15 & I TOLD him to use earplugs. He didn't think it could be all THAT loud. He was wrong.

---------------

Another interesting bit of trivia. The flash suppressor at the end of the barrel is to reduce flash to the shooter, so it doesn't affect his vision in combat.

[anon4546543]

I think this post is about providing some protection to military and law officers who would not ordinarily be issued with some. It is also at a relatively low cost. It is also directed at those officers working in the south where high cal military weapons are not in use. Don't think we need to worry about the poster who suggest they should protect against axes and ice picks. (are you for real) I think this is a prospectively good piece of news and should not be denigrated by all the Thai hate posters.

[jaywalker]

One of the reasons the Mongol hordes were so successful is that while their opponents wore heavy mettle armor, the Mongls wore a light weight leather shield and a silk tunic under that.

The silk would prevent arrows from penetrating very deep and provided pretty good protection.

This made the Mongols much faster and maneuverable on their horses,

and much harder targets to hit or catch in battle.

Not to mention the added lift to the moral of the Mongol hordes knowing that they were smartly dressed.

The female denizens of the raided villages would often call out: "Hello hansum man. You want pillage. You pillage me long time."

Good one!

[jaywalker]

I think this post is about providing some protection to military and law officers who would not ordinarily be issued with some. It is also at a relatively low cost. It is also directed at those officers working in the south where high cal military weapons are not in use. Don't think we need to worry about the poster who suggest they should protect against axes and ice picks. (are you for real) I think this is a prospectively good piece of news and should not be denigrated by all the Thai hate posters.

Why diss the guy for stating facts?

Us gun nuts are having a grand old time discussing battle tactics.

Go somewhere else & whine.

I thinks it's fabulous technology & I understand why silk could very well work as a protective vest.

Nobody said a word ant-Thai until you brought it up.

I doubt it would work against an ice-pick as well.

We're talking physics, not psychology.

Edited September 12, 2015 by jaywalker

[jaywalker]

As said, the Mongols were using silk vests very effectively. I understood the effectiveness was due to very tight weaving, and would suggest that they look at somehow interlocking the cocoons, not just gluing them together.

" from .22 calibre weapons to an M16 "

I'm no gun nut, but isn't an M16 also 22 calibre? And shouldn't the tests be with 9mm handguns as being very common?

I am a gun nut :-)

If it can stop a .17 bee caliber, it can stop almost anything...

If it can stop a M16 bullet, it sure can stop a 9mm or even a .44 magnum...

But can it stop an arrow of a crossbow ? or a sharp ice-pick ?

Only if the bullets gets "flattened" it will be stopped by a kevlar vest. That why they ad ceramic or steel plates in heavy armour vests..

But even a standard 308 armor piercing round( Caliber .30 or 7,62 mm) ( will blast thru ) ( if you look to the standard ammo for the machine guns used and in use, you'l see 1 black ( armor piercing) one red ( tracer round) and 3 standard bullets, this for every 5 rounds...

Stil to be found by the thousands lying around... Same for the 30-06 standard rifle, with the ammo from the .30 machine gun...

Sorry. It took a few minutes there to catch up on the ".17 bee caliber".

That would be a .177 pellet air gun (that I'm familiar with).

Tiny pellet. Never seen one in front of any gunpowder though.

I have shot many people (yes people) with a .177 air pistol. I probably nailed 7 or 8 of them off my balcony in Sandland. Noisy farts. They buggered off.

Never killed anyone but made them stop making noise and being obnoxious with it. I have been shot with one as well.

Hurts like a MO-FO.

Mine had a 600 feet per second muzzle velocity. 14 inch barrel. Quite accurate at 500 feet or so.

[NickJ]

Guess Im out of the magic amulet business......

[jaywalker]

Guess Im out of the magic amulet business......

Yep. The Pattaya tailors will have fake copies of these vests flying out of their doors in no time flat.

Edited September 12, 2015 by jaywalker