Scientists in China who have been experimenting with materials to protect drones and missiles from laser attacks say they have discovered a surprising potential solution – adhesive, according to a report in the South China Morning Post.
“An experiment showed that a common low-cost resin showed promise in protecting such weapons from being damaged by laser weapons, according to the scientists,” said the report. They applied 2.5mm (0.1 inch) of coating that was mostly made of boron phenolic resin (BPR), a composite material widely used in hot and high-stress environments. “Samples coated with the material remained intact after being blasted by a weapons-grade laser beam for 15 seconds with a power density of 500 watts per sq cm – far more intense that what is required to destroy an unprotected ballistic “missile.”
To put that into perspective, a three megawatt laser weapon could theoretically intercept an incoming missile with power density on the target of just 300 watts per sq cm, according to scientists.”
According to the news source, BPR is inexpensive: the average price of the resin has dropped to as low as seven yuan (US$1) per kg (2.2 pounds), according to industrial data in China.
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