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- Newsgroups: sci.military
- Path: sparky!uunet!cs.utexas.edu!sdd.hp.com!ncr-sd!ncrcae!ncrhub2!ciss!law7!military
- From: System Administrator <tgeer@pro-gumbo.cts.com>
- Subject: Re: Self-sealing fuel tanks
- Message-ID: <C19o3M.3rq@law7.DaytonOH.NCR.COM>
- Sender: military@law7.DaytonOH.NCR.COM (Sci.Military Login)
- Organization: TGraphics, Inc.
- References: <C143uv.3Jx@law7.DaytonOH.NCR.COM>
- Date: Fri, 22 Jan 1993 17:47:46 GMT
- Approved: military@law7.daytonoh.ncr.com
- Lines: 35
-
-
- From System Administrator <tgeer@pro-gumbo.cts.com>
-
- > [mod note -- from what I've read about self sealing tanks, they are lined
- > with either uncured rubber or neoprene. When a bullet passes through, the
- > hole is very small, and the action of the gasoline on the rubber seals the
- > tear... [stuff deleted]
-
- Probably not neoprene for two reasons:
-
- 1) Neoprene is fairly hard as far as rubber goes - generally in the 40-90
- durometer range. Thus, it will not stretch much when the projectile
- passes through, leaving a hole nearly as big as the projectile itself.
-
- 2) Neoprene has a very good resistance to most petrochemicals and will not
- expand upon contact with gasoline except over extended periods.
-
- Uncured rubber (ie. natural rubber, gum rubber) would work better since it
- is relatively soft and stretchable (10-40 durometer), allowing for a small
- entry/exit hole. It does expand when exposed to gasoline but still not
- fast enough to be of use in this application. More likely, it is a special
- blend of some very low durometer rubber compound which reacts very quickly
- when exposed to gasoline, laminated to another compound which gasoline
- does not break down. I speak of a two-compound laminate because if the
- inner surface were to react quickly enough to help seal the hole, it would
- only be a matter of a short time before the gasoline attacked the rubber
- sufficiently to completely break it down and allow further fuel leakage.
-
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