This Indestructible Coating Makes a Watermelon Unbreakable

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Line X is one of the world’s most unique substances. The polymer spray makes almost anything indestructible. It’s most commonly used in truck beds, but Line-X can also protect a watermelon, an egg and a lightbulb from shattering on impact.In fact, it’s even being used to make bulletproof vests and other protective gear for soldiers and police officers.

According to Popular Mechanics:

Line-X is a mixture of two different molecules with very long names. The two molecules are kept separate until they’re sprayed on a surface, at which point they undergo a chemical reaction.

In this chemical reaction, the two molecules bind together, creating a single molecule called polyurea. This molecule contains very long chains of atoms, and these long chains are the secret of Line-X’s strength.

These chains are long enough that they get tangled together at the atomic scale, which makes them extremely hard to pull apart. At the same time, they’re extremely flexible, which produces the elastic effect.

In the video below, a scientist dives into how Line-X works.

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