The myriad of potential applications of a spray-on protective polymer have being showcased through an unlikely medium: an online video of an indestructible watermelon.
In the video, produced by Australian record breaking enthusiasts How Ridiculous, the fruit is covered with the coating before being dropped from a height of 148ft (45m). It survives the fall and bounces off the road below. Later, the polymer-protected shell remains intact despite being hacked at with an axe.
In a separate video the experiment was repeated, with the same result, using an egg and a light bulb.
LINE-X, the manufacturers of the polymer – which forms permanent bonds at the molecular level – say the spray can be used in architecture and construction, ensuring materials are incredibly strong and safe from fire while remaining flexible.
The coating can be used to protect buildings from hurricanes, earthquakes or explosions. The company claims it is “eco safe, non-toxic, non-hazardous as well as biodegradable” as well as being free from solvents.
The product, which can also withstand high humidity, saltwater and extreme temperature changes, was developed for use on vehicles. However, as it can be applied to metal, fibreglass, concrete, plastic or wood, LINE-X claims “it can be applied to almost anything.”
Researchers from around the world have offered several innovative solutions for making buildings more resilient. Japanese architect Kengo Kuma has demonstrated how carbon fibre curtains anchoring structures can protect them from earthquakes, while German scientists have argued the hard shells of coconuts provide the key for creating super-strong structures.
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