Burglars Beware: New Material Steams, Foams Upon Break-In
Can't touch this The material steaming and foaming after being broken into. Jonas G. Halter et al / Journal of Materials Chemistry A When bombardier beetles are attacked, they mix chemicals in their body to create a rapid and violent reaction, squirting out a concoction that's corrosive and hot, near the boiling point of water. Inspired by this defense mechanism, Swiss engineers have created a polymer-based material that gives off steam and foam if it is tampered with. The material consists of sheets of polymer between which two different chemicals are sandwiched, including hydrogen peroxide. They are separated by a rigid wall that breaks upon forced entry, after which the materials react in a most unpleasant manner. Imagine if ATMs were made of this stuff--thieves could unwittingly destroy their loot before even removing it, as Chemistry World reported. The system could also...