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Scientists Discover Way to Send Information into Black Holes Without Using Energy

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This “Super Foam” Absorbs 10× More Impact Than Normal Padding Could Make Helmets, Cars & Aircraft Much Safer

Scientists from Texas A&M University and the DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory (ARL) have developed a revolutionary material known as “super foam,” capable of absorbing up to ten times more energy than conventional padding materials. This innovation could transform industries ranging from military defense and aerospace to automotive safety and consumer products.

The research, published in the journal Composite Structures, introduces a hybrid material created by combining traditional foam with 3D-printed elastic plastic structures. The result is a lightweight, affordable, and extremely durable composite that significantly improves energy absorption during impacts.

Leading the project is Dr. Mohammad Naraghi, director of the Nanostructured Materials Lab at the Texas A&M College of Engineering, working alongside Dr. Eric Wetzel, team leader for Strategic Polymers Additive Manufacturing at ARL. Their work demonstrates how combining two simple materials can create a powerful new solution for impact protection.

Turning Ordinary Foam into “Super Foam”

Foam materials are already widely used in everyday products. They appear in helmets, car seats, furniture cushions, packaging materials, and protective equipment. The reason foam is so useful is its internal structure.

Foam contains millions of tiny air pockets. When pressure or impact occurs, these pockets collapse and absorb energy, reducing the force transferred to objects or people.

However, ordinary foam has limitations. Its internal structure is random and disorganized, which means it cannot absorb energy as efficiently as possible. Engineers have tried to solve this by designing engineered cellular materials, such as lattice structures. These materials have precise internal patterns that absorb energy better.

The problem is cost.

Engineered lattices are often expensive to manufacture and difficult to produce at large scales. For decades, engineers had to choose between cheap foam with limited performance or high-performance materials that were too costly for widespread use.

The new super foam changes that balance.

The Secret: In-Foam Additive Manufacturing (IFAM)

The key innovation behind this material is a technique called In-Foam Additive Manufacturing, or IFAM.

Using IFAM, researchers insert 3D-printed elastomeric struts—flexible plastic columns—directly inside conventional open-cell foam. These struts form a three-dimensional skeleton that strengthens the foam while still allowing it to compress and absorb impact.

Because the process is computer-controlled, engineers can adjust important parameters such as:

  • Strut thickness

  • Spacing between structures

  • Angle of the struts

  • Elasticity of the material

By changing these factors, the foam can be customized for different purposes, such as improved energy absorption, greater strength, or enhanced comfort.

This approach combines the best qualities of both materials:

  • Foam provides cushioning and flexibility

  • 3D-printed struts add structure and strength

Together they form a powerful hybrid material.

The “Magic of Synergy”

What makes the super foam special is how the foam and the struts work together during an impact.

When the material is compressed:

  1. Foam stabilizes the struts
    At the early stage of compression, the surrounding foam holds the plastic struts in place, preventing them from bending or buckling too quickly.

  2. Struts distribute the force
    As pressure increases, the struts push the force outward into the foam.

  3. Energy spreads across the structure
    This interaction allows the force to spread across the entire material instead of concentrating in one area.

Because of this cooperative behavior, the hybrid foam can absorb far more energy than traditional foam.

Dr. Naraghi describes this interaction as the “magic of synergy,” where two materials work together to create performance far greater than either could achieve alone.

A Powerful New Tool for Military Protection

Since the project is supported by the U.S. Army, one of the most important applications is military safety equipment.

Energy-absorbing materials are essential for protecting soldiers from injuries caused by:

  • Explosions

  • Falls

  • Vehicle crashes

  • High-impact collisions

For example, modern ballistic helmets must perform two critical tasks:

  1. Stop high-speed projectiles

  2. Cushion the head from impacts or sudden movement

Current helmet padding systems can only absorb a limited amount of energy. Replacing them with super foam could significantly increase protection.

According to the researchers, adding IFAM-reinforced foam to helmets could provide much higher protection without adding noticeable weight.

This improvement could help reduce head and brain injuries, which remain a major concern in combat environments.

In addition to helmets, the material could also be used in:

  • Blast-resistant vehicle seats

  • Protective armor systems

  • Military transportation equipment

The technology offers a new line of defense while maintaining mobility and comfort for soldiers.

Safer Cars, Bikes, and Sports Equipment

The potential of super foam is not limited to the military. The same technology could improve everyday safety products used by civilians.

For instance, the hybrid foam could be integrated into:

  • Bicycle helmets

  • Motorcycle helmets

  • Football and hockey gear

  • Protective sports padding

In vehicle design, the material could dramatically improve passenger protection.

Automobile manufacturers could place the foam in areas such as:

  • Car bumpers

  • Interior panels

  • Crash-protection zones

During collisions, the material would absorb impact energy more effectively, reducing the forces experienced by passengers.

The researchers are also exploring the use of super foam in child safety seats, where energy absorption is crucial during accidents.

If adopted widely, the technology could significantly improve road safety.

A New Approach to Noise Control

Beyond physical protection, super foam may also play an important role in sound insulation.

The internal structure of the hybrid foam can be engineered to absorb specific sound frequencies. This means the material could potentially reduce unwanted vibrations and noise.

Future applications may include:

  • Quieter aircraft cabins

  • Reduced noise in car interiors

  • Soundproofing in residential buildings

Researchers believe the foam could act as a precision acoustic filter, trapping certain sound waves inside its internal structure.

Although this application is still in the early stages of research, it shows how versatile the material could become.

Personalized Comfort in Everyday Products

Another exciting possibility is customized comfort in furniture and bedding.

Traditional cushions use uniform foam density, meaning every part of the cushion behaves the same way.

With IFAM technology, different zones of a cushion could be tuned to different levels of firmness.

For example:

  • Firm support for the neck

  • Soft cushioning for the back

  • Medium support for the legs

This approach, called “zonal tuning,” could allow chairs, sofas, and mattresses to be tailored to each person’s body and comfort preferences.

Instead of a one-size-fits-all design, future furniture could be engineered for individual comfort and ergonomics.

Collaboration Driving Innovation

The development of super foam highlights the importance of collaboration between universities, research laboratories, and government agencies.

Texas A&M’s academic expertise in materials science combined with the Army Research Laboratory’s experience in protective systems allowed researchers to move quickly from theory to practical innovation.

Such partnerships are designed to solve real-world challenges while pushing the boundaries of scientific discovery.

By working together, the teams were able to create a material that is not only scientifically innovative but also practical for large-scale manufacturing.

The Future of Impact Protection

The creation of super foam represents an important step forward in materials engineering.

By combining traditional foam with 3D-printed elastomeric structures, researchers have developed a material that is:

  • Lightweight

  • Affordable

  • Highly durable

  • Capable of absorbing up to ten times more energy than conventional padding

From protecting soldiers on the battlefield to making cars, helmets, and furniture safer and more comfortable, the possibilities for this material are vast.

As the technology continues to develop, super foam could soon become a key component in the design of safer vehicles, better protective equipment, quieter buildings, and more comfortable everyday products.

In short, this new hybrid material shows how smart engineering can transform something as simple as foam into a powerful tool for saving lives, improving safety, and enhancing everyday comfort.

Reference: Bruhuadithya Balaji et al, In-foam additive manufacturing: Elastomeric cellular composites with tunable mechanics, Composite Structures (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.compstruct.2026.120158

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