Barrikade® is a patented heat-insulation material, consisting of inorganic particles and a blended binder. There could be many applications for Barrikade® in the military market. With the end of the cold war, traditional equipment is being scrutinised for its ability to react to small conflicts around the word. In particular military vehicles and equipment are now being designed for rapid deployment and survivability.
The threat comes from a wide variety of weapons, which are difficult to defend against. Using some of the counter-electronic warfare measures has helped significantly, but cost-effective materials for this are being source. These materials are tagged with the term "STEALTH". There are many forms of Stealth, but one of the more simple forms is to reduce the infrared signature of a piece of military equipment. Tanks can be easily located and targeted once they have opened fire. This can be for a number of reasons, such as the enemy working out where the projectile has been fired, but also the gun barrel and the missile housing transmit a very strong infrared signature.
Shielding or cloaking this radiant heat is therefore critical. Many signatures can verify the type of weapon being used, and therefore one can easily distinguish if it is friend or foe. The unique make-up of Barrikade® can significantly reduce this, because the heat signature is transmitted over a large area and then migrates through the thickness. In comparison to most other materials, Barrikade® offers some interesting advantages together with the ability to be easily molded and machined.
Fire resistance with no traceable toxic fumes and the ability to withstand 1000◦C may provide the cost-effective product that today army and other forces are looking for.
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