Researchers from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and George Mason University in the US developed a simple treatment that can improve the survival time for a conventional wetsuit
by a factor of three. “The process works by simply placing the standard neoprene wetsuit inside a pressure tank autoclave no bigger than a beer keg, filled with a heavy inert gas, for about a day. The treatment then lasts for about 20 hours, far longer than anyone would spend on a dive"”, said Jacopo Buongiorno, professor at MIT.
When rescue teams are diving under ice-covered rivers or ponds, the survival time even in the best wetsuits is very limited – as little as tens of minutes, and the experience can be extremely painful at best.
“The process could also be done in advance, with the wetsuit placed in a sealed bag to be opened
just before”, he said.
Researchers looked at the different strategies that various animals use to survive in these frigid waters, and found three types: air pockets trapped in fur or feathers, as with otters and penguins; internally generated heat, as with some animals and fish; or a layer of insulating material that greatly slows heat loss from the body, as with seals’ and whales’ blubber.
After simulations and lab tests, they ended up with a combination of two of these – a blubber-like insulating material that also makes use of trapped pockets of gas, although in this case the gas is not air but a heavy inert gas, namely xenon or krypton.
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.