Video of the week: Chain mail fabric stiffens on demand

Developed by a team at NTU Singapore and the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), the lightweight fabric is 3D-printed from nylon plastic polymers and comprises hollow octahedrons that interlock with each other. When encased in a plastic envelope and vacuum-packed, it becomes 25 times more rigid and can hold up over 50 times its own weight.

First synthetic auxetic material could expand into body armour and sportswear

Body armour given added resilience with silicon

Published in Nature, the next-generation fabric is expected to lead to lightweight armour, protective kit for athletes, and exoskeletons.

“With an engineered fabric that is lightweight and tuneable – easily changeable from soft to rigid – we can use it to address the needs of patients and the ageing population, for instance, to create exoskeletons that can help them stand, carry loads and assist them with their daily tasks,” said Asst. Prof Wang from NTU’s School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, who started this research when he was a post-doc researcher at Caltech.