# Heavy Weight Sponges Get Metal Foam for Protection, Not Heavy Duty Kitchen Spills By Luisa Amanda Gomes | Published 2010-02-01 | Autos Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/metal-foam References: [livescience](http://www.livescience.com/technology/081017-bts-metal-foams.html) Metal foam seems like an impossible material but let me assure you that this substance actually exists. Not to be confused with [steel wool](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/steel-soap-bar) or a heavy duty kitchen sponge, metal foam is a material that can absorb large impacts with very little damage. [North Carolina State University's](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/nanoscale-coating) Dr. Afsaneh Rabiei has discovered the strongest form of this damage resistant material. This strong metal foam has the ability to compress up to 80% of its initial shape, yet retain its original size. This innovation is especially exciting to automakers since it can protect the drivers and passengers far better than before. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 2.9/10 - Popularity: 27% | Activity: 52% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe, Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Autos](https://www.trendhunter.com/autos) ## Key Themes ### Key Themes Behind This Trend - **Metal Foam Protection:** The development of Dr. Rabiei's strong metal foam material has numerous opportunities to replace traditional materials for impact protection across industries. - **Damage Resistant Materials:** The creation of metal foam has opened a new area for research on developing materials that can absorb large impacts with little damage in various applications. - **Impact Resistant Materials:** The potential for using metal foam in industries requiring high-impact resistance, such as construction and aerospace, is substantial. ### Where This Applies - **Automotive:** Metal foam can provide much safer cars, trucks, and other vehicles by protecting drivers and passengers during accidents. - **Construction:** Metal foam could be used to develop more durable, impact-resistant buildings and materials. - **Aerospace:** There's a possibility of using metal foam in aerospace technology to construct stronger, lighter materials for producing spacecraft that can protect against high-velocity debris. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Cut-Resistant Kitchen Sponges](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/forever-sponge.md) - [Lightweight Helmet Liners](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/helmet-liner.md) - [Unsinkable Metal Vessel Concepts](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/aluminum-tubes.md) - [Fungal Foam Solutions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mattress-foam.md) - [Metal-Covered Cookware Sponges](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/chain-link-scrubber.md) - [Ultra-Thin Sound-Dampening Materials](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sound-absorption-material.md) - [Floating Foam Drink Coolers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/foam-portable-cooler.md) - [Functional Shoe-Cleaning Foams](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/foamx.md) - [Grow-at-Home Sponge Furniture](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sponge-furniture.md)