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Nuclear blast-defying plastic that could change the world?
Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2011 4:19 pm
by DeltaV
Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2011 4:30 pm
by chrismb
I seem to recall this, from years back. A Brit inventor who refused to divulge the secret sauce [other than it contained egg] of some amazing insulating material, for fear of being ripped off. [Sound familar!?]
There was a test in which some US agency - I suppose it was NASA - used a thermal tip with which they test out insulation material. I recall seeing an account in which his material was so effective an insulator that it reflects so much heat back to the tip that it burned out!
Took the secret to his grave ??
Posted: Fri Jun 17, 2011 3:47 pm
by Nik
This is almost the stuff of Urban Legend (TM): Seems he was so paranoid about being 'ripped off' that he took the secret to his grave...
FWIW, I think I remember seeing a live demo of this stuff on UK BBC TV's 'Tomorrow's World' tech-news, years ago. It did like it said on the tin...
How it would handle non-oxidising or re-entry plasma conditions, I really don't know...
Posted: Sat Jun 18, 2011 2:11 am
by Betruger
So he actually died without leaving the recipe. What a complete *******.
Posted: Sat Jun 18, 2011 9:47 pm
by DeltaV
The formula was known only by Ward and his immediate family, though Pohling-Brown reported that it included 'up to 21 organic polymers and copolymers, and small quantities of ceramics'. 'It was put about that we never wrote it down but that's not true. I just didn't tell anybody.'
When did he die?
Posted: Sun Jun 19, 2011 12:01 am
by Betruger
This year according to Wikipedia, and judging by the suddenness of his re-popularity with zero new developments to discuss, it might be very recent.
Posted: Sun Jun 19, 2011 4:23 pm
by Giorgio
If the recipe is known by his family I hope they do not follow the same idiotic steps as he did.
Posted: Fri Jul 22, 2011 3:41 pm
by TallDave