Bullet Proof T-Shirts! (Sort of)

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U. of South Carolina scientists figured out how to turn t-shirts into body armor (via BoingBoing). Unfortunately, it isn't just a spray-on applicator like I imagined.

 

The scientists started with plain, white T-shirts that were cut into thin strips and dipped into a boron solution. The strips were later removed from the solution and heated in an oven. The heat changes the cotton fibers into carbon fibers, which react with the boron solution and produce boron carbide.

 

The result is a fabric that’s lightweight but tougher and stiffer than the original T-shirt, yet flexible enough that it can be bent, said Li, who led the group from USC. That flexibility is an improvement over the heavy boron-carbide plates used in bulletproof vests and body armor.