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This body armor inspired by crocodile scales can deflect projectiles
11 May 2026

Chinese researchers have developed a revolutionary body armor inspired by crocodile scales.

The new ceramic armor can deflect projectiles, making it a potential low-cost alternative for lightweight ballistic protection.

The team, led by Associate Research Fellow Zhaoxiu Jiang at Ningbo University, based their design on the asymmetric, overlapping scales of crocodile skin that offer protection against predators and other crocs.

Asymmetric structure verified to cause projectile deflection
Innovative approach

The research team's findings were published in the peer-reviewed Chinese journal Acta Armamentarii.

Jiang confirmed in an interview that "the asymmetric structure can indeed cause projectile deflection - that is an experimentally verified result."

Instead of the conventional hexagonal ceramic tiles used in composite armor, they created a mosaic of diamond-shaped alumina ceramic units arranged at 45-degree angles.

These are bonded with epoxy resin onto an aluminum alloy backing plate for added strength.

Hardness and low density make it ideal for body armor
Material advantage

The researchers chose ceramic materials for their hardness, high compressive strength, and low density.

This combination makes them ideal for use in body armor.

The innovative design and material choice of this crocodile-inspired body armor could revolutionize the field of ballistic protection, providing a lightweight yet effective solution to deflect projectiles.