Scientists from the CTLAB at CEITEC Brno University of Technology used a new industrial CT scanner to examine the Bastion ballistic helmet manufactured by the U.S.-based company Ballistic Armor Co. Without making a single cut, the scanner revealed the helmet's internal structure, including its individual protective layers, and confirmed the absence of manufacturing defects. The results demonstrate the technology's potential for quality control and the development of protective equipment for the defense industry.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/CEITEC_Profesionalni_ochranne_vybaveni_pod_rentgenem_Vyzkumnici_z_CEITEC_overili_kvalitu_balisticke_prilby_bez_jedineho_rezu_4be342238c.jpeg" alt="CEITEC BUT/CEITEC BUT with the permission of Ballistic Armor Co.: Professional Protective Gear Under X-Rays: CEITEC Researchers Verify the Quality of a Ballistic Helmet Without Making a Single Cut: Bastion Helmet by Ballistic Amor Co. scanned at CTLAB CEITEC." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_CEITEC_Profesionalni_ochranne_vybaveni_pod_rentgenem_Vyzkumnici_z_CEITEC_overili_kvalitu_balisticke_prilby_bez_jedineho_rezu_4be342238c.jpeg 235w," sizes="100vw" width="1600" height="1067">Computed tomography (CT) is an imaging technique widely used in medicine. Using X-rays, CT scanners produce detailed 2D cross-sectional images or 3D models of internal organs, allowing physicians to examine the inside of the human body without surgery and identify structural changes in tissues. Industrial CT scanners at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://ctlab.ceitec.cz/">CTLAB CEITEC</a> operate on the same principle but use significantly higher X-ray energies than medical systems. This enables researchers to inspect larger and more complex objects with exceptional precision while keeping them completely intact through non-destructive testing.The laboratory's newest scanner, the Waygate Technologies phoenix v|tome|x L450, installed only at the end of last year, is unique in the research environment. Its size and power allow it to penetrate, for example, steel objects up to 7 centimeters (2.8 inches) thick while maintaining a resolution of only a few tens of micrometers.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/CEITEC_Profesionalni_ochranne_vybaveni_pod_rentgenem_Vyzkumnici_z_CEITEC_overili_kvalitu_balisticke_prilby_bez_jedineho_rezu_4_bf54aa6ef1.jpeg" alt="CEITEC BUT/CEITEC BUT with the permission of Ballistic Armor Co.: Professional Protective Gear Under X-Rays: CEITEC Researchers Verify the Quality of a Ballistic Helmet Without Making a Single Cut: Anna Smith from Ballistic Armor Co. and Michaela Škaroupková from CTLAB CEITEC." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_CEITEC_Profesionalni_ochranne_vybaveni_pod_rentgenem_Vyzkumnici_z_CEITEC_overili_kvalitu_balisticke_prilby_bez_jedineho_rezu_4_bf54aa6ef1.jpeg 235w," sizes="100vw" width="1600" height="1067">"Based on its technical capabilities, we knew this system could analyze highly complex composite materials. That's why we challenged it with the Bastion ballistic helmet from Ballistic Armor Co.," explains Tomáš Zikmund from the X-ray Computed Micro- and Nano-Tomography Laboratory at CEITEC Brno University of Technology (<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://ctlab.ceitec.cz/">CTLAB CEITEC</a>). The helmet is designed to provide protection against handgun ammunition.The helmet is manufactured from Aramid fibers, better known by the trade name Kevlar. Aramid is widely used in ballistic protection and aerospace applications because of its exceptional strength, durability, and low weight. Combined with the helmet's other materials, it forms a highly complex internal structure that only the most advanced CT systems can visualize.<h3>CT Helps Ensure Quality Without Damaging the Product</h3>As part of the study, the Bastion helmet was exposed to X-rays for several hours. The result was a highly detailed 3D model of its internal structure, clearly revealing the individual ballistic layers as well as the soft padding materials—all without cutting the helmet apart. The analysis also detected no manufacturing defects."Results from non-destructive CT inspections like this improve our understanding of how protective equipment is built and help manufacturers maintain the highest standards of quality and safety," says Anna Smith, Director of Business Development at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://ballisticarmorco.com/">Ballistic Armor Co</a>.Non-destructive CT analysis, however, is not a substitute for standard ballistic testing, which remains essential for verifying that protective equipment meets the required ballistic resistance specified by applicable standards. Instead, the technology serves as an effective tool for routine manufacturing quality control, verification of production consistency, and regular audits of products whose ballistic performance has already been validated.According to Tomáš Zikmund, the successful test marks another important milestone in demonstrating the capabilities of the laboratory's new CT system for defense applications. Earlier this spring, the research team showcased the scanner by examining an airsoft rifle, non-destructively verifying the correct placement of mechanical components and wiring while also inspecting the materials for pores and microcracks.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/CEITEC_Profesionalni_ochranne_vybaveni_pod_rentgenem_Vyzkumnici_z_CEITEC_overili_kvalitu_balisticke_prilby_bez_jedineho_rezu_3_9a68c9c71c.jpeg" alt="CEITEC BUT/CEITEC BUT with the permission of Ballistic Armor Co.: Professional Protective Gear Under X-Rays: CEITEC Researchers Verify the Quality of a Ballistic Helmet Without Making a Single Cut: Bastion Helmet by Ballistic Amor Co. scanned at CTLAB CEITEC." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_CEITEC_Profesionalni_ochranne_vybaveni_pod_rentgenem_Vyzkumnici_z_CEITEC_overili_kvalitu_balisticke_prilby_bez_jedineho_rezu_3_9a68c9c71c.jpeg 235w," sizes="100vw" width="1600" height="1067">These studies demonstrate that industrial CT has an important role to play in the defense sector. In many cases, it can complement destructive quality-control methods used during manufacturing by enabling detailed inspections without disassembling or damaging the product. Modern CT technology provides deep, highly precise, and completely non-destructive inspection. It does not, however, replace conventional ballistic testing, which remains the only method capable of verifying the required level of ballistic protection."Our goal is to strengthen collaboration between science, technology development, and the defense industry," Zikmund concludes. "We believe our technology can help manufacturers not only improve production quality but also gain valuable insights into the behavior of materials and the design principles behind modern protective equipment."<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/CEITEC_Profesionalni_ochranne_vybaveni_pod_rentgenem_Vyzkumnici_z_CEITEC_overili_kvalitu_balisticke_prilby_bez_jedineho_rezu_2_1559697260.jpeg" alt="CEITEC BUT/CEITEC BUT with the permission of Ballistic Armor Co.: Professional Protective Gear Under X-Rays: CEITEC Researchers Verify the Quality of a Ballistic Helmet Without Making a Single Cut: Bastion Helmet by Ballistic Amor Co. scanned at CTLAB CEITEC." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_CEITEC_Profesionalni_ochranne_vybaveni_pod_rentgenem_Vyzkumnici_z_CEITEC_overili_kvalitu_balisticke_prilby_bez_jedineho_rezu_2_1559697260.jpeg 104w," sizes="100vw" width="1600" height="2400"><img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/CEITEC_Profesionalni_ochranne_vybaveni_pod_rentgenem_Vyzkumnici_z_CEITEC_overili_kvalitu_balisticke_prilby_bez_jedineho_rezu_5_8dab8c31ab.jpeg" alt="CEITEC BUT/CEITEC BUT with the permission of Ballistic Armor Co.: Professional Protective Gear Under X-Rays: CEITEC Researchers Verify the Quality of a Ballistic Helmet Without Making a Single Cut: CEITEC BUT/CEITEC BUT with the permission of Ballistic Armor Co.: Professional Protective Gear Under X-Rays: CEITEC Researchers Verify the Quality of a Ballistic Helmet Without Making a Single Cut: Anna Smith from Ballistic Armor Co. and Michaela Škaroupková from CTLAB CEITEC." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_CEITEC_Profesionalni_ochranne_vybaveni_pod_rentgenem_Vyzkumnici_z_CEITEC_overili_kvalitu_balisticke_prilby_bez_jedineho_rezu_5_8dab8c31ab.jpeg 103w," sizes="100vw" width="1600" height="2420">

Professional Protective Gear Under X-Rays: CEITEC Researchers Verify the Quality of a Ballistic Helmet Without Making a Single Cut 

In late February 2025, a train carrying benzene derailed in Hustopeče nad Bečvou, and within hours, a race was on to save the groundwater and surface water. One of the most toxic industrial substances began seeping into the gravel-sand subsoil. While fieldwork was underway to prevent the spread of contamination, decisions were already being made in the CXI TUL laboratories regarding how to subsequently clean up the contaminated rock environment.The accident ranks among the most serious environmental incidents in the Czech Republic in recent years. After a tanker train derailed, hundreds of metric tons of benzene leaked; due to the highly permeable geological subsoil, it quickly seeped into deeper soil layers and into the groundwater. The combination of the substance’s high toxicity and local conditions complicated both the emergency response and the subsequent remediation. The key was to stop further spread, determine the extent of the contamination, and establish a remediation strategy for the entire site.It was at this stage that CXI TUL became involved in the solution. At the request of the renowned remediation company DEKONTA, a.s., a team led by RNDr. Jan Němeček, Ph.D., began testing the feasibility of the in situ chemical oxidation (ISCO) method. This technology is designed to break down benzene directly within the rock matrix, without the need for extensive excavation of contaminated soil or the pumping out of large volumes of groundwater. The goal was simple: to find a method that would work quickly, safely, and under the actual conditions of the affected site.<h4>Benzene Remediation: Technically Simple, Complicated in Practice</h4>Benzene is a highly toxic and carcinogenic substance that rapidly penetrates into groundwater in permeable subsoil, where it dissolves and spreads further as the water flows toward surface water bodies. Benzene also binds to rock particles and migrates in the form of vapors into overlying unconsolidated layers.Scientists in Liberec therefore tested in situ chemical oxidation (ISCO) technology under laboratory conditions. The goal was to find an oxidant capable of breaking down benzene directly underground into less hazardous substances.The tests evaluated two main options: activated hydrogen peroxide and sodium peroxodisulfate. Both substances removed up to 99.99% of the benzene, but there was a difference in their kinetics and impacts on the natural environment. Activated hydrogen peroxide achieved nearly complete degradation of the contaminant within a single day. Activated sodium peroxodisulfate was slower and also significantly altered the chemistry of the water; it acidified the environment and increased the sulfate content in the water, which poses an additional environmental burden.For field applications, the researchers therefore unequivocally recommended activated hydrogen peroxide.<h4>Dosage Matters</h4>It was not just the oxidant’s effectiveness that was key. It was equally important to determine how the chemical reaction would behave in a real geological environment. The team of scientists therefore also analyzed what is known as soil oxidant consumption (SOD). It turned out that a significant portion of the oxidizing agent does not react solely with benzene but is also consumed to a significant extent by the rock environment itself, particularly by natural organic substances present in the fine-grained fraction of the soil.An oxidant consumption value was determined specifically for the local composition of the aquifers, which is essential for the correct dosing of chemicals in the field so that the remediation is not only effective but also economically viable and safe for surrounding ecosystems.<h4>One Year After the Accident: Research Turns into Real-World Assistance</h4>While the public often perceives university science as a distant world of laboratories and grant projects, it is precisely situations like this that demonstrate its practical impact. The results of the work by researchers at CXI TUL did not remain confined to academic studies but directly influenced decisions regarding the technology used to clean up one of the largest environmental accidents in recent years.

Science on the Front Lines: Cleanup of a Benzene Spill

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Since its establishment in 2011, CEITEC has quickly developed into a cutting-edge infrastructure for research which performs highly alongside the best institutes in Europe. Among the main priorities of CEITEC are the promotion of a motivating and dynamic international scientific environment, the provision of state-of-the-art research infrastructure, and the policy of open communication and equal opportunities.

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