Smart Insulation
Many firefighting uniforms contain an insulating material trade-named Nomex, a polymer made for decades by DuPont. The company has now developed a new version of Nomex that is thin and comfortable in everyday use, but grows three to four times thicker when temperatures rise above 121 °C, providing a 20 percent boost in thermal insulation. In March, DuPont began marketing the material in North America as a liner for firefighters’ jackets; the company will market it globally by year’s end.
Credit: Kevin Twomey
Product: Nomex On Demand
Cost: The company estimates that the material will add $50 to $100 to the price of a firefighter’s suit
Source: www.dupont.com
Company: DuPont
Keep Reading
Most Popular
Large language models can do jaw-dropping things. But nobody knows exactly why.
And that's a problem. Figuring it out is one of the biggest scientific puzzles of our time and a crucial step towards controlling more powerful future models.
The problem with plug-in hybrids? Their drivers.
Plug-in hybrids are often sold as a transition to EVs, but new data from Europe shows we’re still underestimating the emissions they produce.
Google DeepMind’s new generative model makes Super Mario–like games from scratch
Genie learns how to control games by watching hours and hours of video. It could help train next-gen robots too.
How scientists traced a mysterious covid case back to six toilets
When wastewater surveillance turns into a hunt for a single infected individual, the ethics get tricky.
Stay connected
Get the latest updates from
MIT Technology Review
Discover special offers, top stories, upcoming events, and more.