A NEW war-paint provides camouflage and also protects soldiers from the searing heat of bomb blasts.
Scientists who created the paint believe it could also be used by civilian firefighters.
Smeared on the face and hands, it allows the wearer to withstand temperatures of several hundred degrees centigrade for up to 15 seconds before suffering mild burns. Those vital extra seconds could be enough to save lives.
Dr Robert Lochhead, who led the development team at the University of Southern Mississippi in the US, said: “The detonation of a roadside bomb or any other powerful explosive produces two dangerous blasts.
“First comes a blast wave of high pressure that spreads out at supersonic speeds and can cause devastating internal injuries.
“A thermal blast follows almost instantaneously. It is a wave of heat that exceeds 600C.
“The thermal blast lasts only two seconds, but it can literally cook the face, hands and other exposed skin.”
The anti-heat camouflage paint was unveiled yesterday at the annual meeting of the American Chemical Society in Philadelphia.
In some tests, the paint provided protection for as long as 60 seconds, said Dr Lochhead.