PPy@M(OH)(OCH₃) Smart Armor

Withstands 1300 °C flame jet for 60 s

A viper-scale-inspired organic–inorganic hybrid smart armor that endows cotton with fire resistance, graded fire alarm, and firefighting posture identification, directly upgradeable into existing firefighting suits.

Caiyu, Rong · Dong, Xiang · Shidai, Zhang · Shuqin, Ding · Zhaoxin, Zhang · Ma, Yan · Zixin, Lin · Yuhe, Song · Jiayi, Zhang · Nie, Shibin · Tian, Konghu

Chemical Engineering Journal 2026

Specifications

Flame jet resistance temperature

{'zh': '1300', 'en': '1300'} °C

Reduction in peak heat release rate

{'zh': '87.38', 'en': '87.38'} %

Residual mass after thermal decomposition

{'zh': '41.6', 'en': '41.6'} %

Fire alarm temperature range

{'zh': '37.2–95.9', 'en': '37.2–95.9'} °C

Increase in elongation at break

{'zh': '27.6', 'en': '27.6'} %

Reduction in water vapor transmission rate

{'zh': '4.8', 'en': '4.8'} %

Advantages

Withstands 1300 °C flame jet

The viper-scale-inspired organic-inorganic hybrid armor forms a dense protective layer under flame, preserving structural integrity and preventing burn-through.

87.38% lower heat release

The flame-retardant coating promotes char formation and suppresses heat release, reducing peak heat release rate by 87.38% compared to pure cotton, substantially lowering fire hazard.

Graded fire alarm

Thermosensitive resistance variation over 37.2–95.9 °C enables temperature-dependent graded alarms for early warning.

Real-time posture sensing

Piezoresistive sensing captures shoulder, elbow, and knee joint signals to identify typical firefighting postures and remotely operate a robotic arm.

Applications

• firefighting equipment：Coated or impregnated onto fabrics to create smart fire-resistant textiles, integrating into existing firefighting suits for enhanced protection and early warning.
• smart wearable protection：Combines fire protection with sensing to monitor motion and temperature in real time, improving wearer safety.
• flexible sensors：Piezoresistive and thermosensitive responses enable joint posture recognition and graded temperature alarms for human-machine interaction.
• bioinspired functional materials：Viper-scale-inspired organic-inorganic hybrid armor provides exceptional fire resistance and mechanical robustness, extendable to other protective applications.