MIT develop new materials: cold under water for a long time-MIT, MIT-IT information

Such as beavers, otters feed * animals like walruses and whales under the thick layer of fat, is how to live in cold water for a long time? Because of its fur remains in the air, forming an insulating layer, so even when there is no case of a thick layer of fat, they can live for a long time in the cold sea water.

Inspired by this, MIT researchers have thought of making a synthetic material similar to these animals in the future will produce more light thermal diving suits. Massachusetts Institute of technology, says Anette Peko Hosoi, a Professor of mechanical engineering, the diver needs to stay under water for a long time, so the insulation is very important to the human body, and neoprene rubber insulation material made of wetsuit is too heavy, diving in the underwater action very inconvenient.

MIT researchers polydimethyl siloxanes (PDMS) rubber by moulding was built as an artificial fur, for precise control of the density and length of fur, the researchers used a mathematical model to test. The material more light than existing wetsuit material, may also left the air, divers actions more flexible while still being able to maintain normal body temperature.

MIT研发新材料：长时间泡水下也不怕冷 - 麻省理工,MIT - IT资讯

像海狸、水獭这些哺*动物，在没有像海象和鲸鱼一样的厚厚脂肪层的情况下，是如何长时间生活在冰冷的水里的？因其毛皮中可以存留大量空气，进而形成一道隔热层，所以即使是在没有厚厚脂肪层的情况下，它们依然可以长时间生活在冰冷的海水中。

受此启发，MIT的研究人员想到了制作一种类似于这些动物的合成材料，在未来将制作出更轻更保暖的潜水服。麻省理工学院,机械工程教授Anette Peko Hosoi表示，潜水者需要长时间待在水下，因此对人体的保温显得尤为重要，而现有的氯丁橡胶绝缘材料制作出的潜水服又太过笨重，让潜水的人在水下的行动十分不方便。

于是MIT研究人员将聚二甲基硅氧烷（PDMS）橡胶通过模压制成了一种人工毛皮，为精确控制毛皮的密度和长度，研究人员还利用一个数学模型来进行检验。该材料比起现有的潜水服材料将更轻便，还可以存留空气，在让潜水员行动更灵活的同时仍能维持身体的正常体温。