Shear Thickening Materials for High Performance Smart Protection

Shear thickening materials (STMs) have been widely investigated in recent years. Various smart applications have included STMs for benefitting from shear thickening rheology. Smart protection is one of the main applications for STMs. Stiffening texture of STMs under loading provides excellent protective properties for anti-impact structures. At rest conditions, STMs show lower viscosities that provide flexible behavior for protective systems. This chapter discusses STMs in protective applications. Manufacturing of STM-based structures is given in detail. Energy-absorbing capabilities and impact response in these structures are discussed. Thickening characteristics in STMs make these materials an excellent choice for developing smart protective systems.