History of a Lost Supermaterial & How To Make It

In this video I explore the history of Starlite, homemade materials with similar properties, and commercial variants. Check out my sponsor Brilliant for a great way to learn math, science, and computer science: https://www.Brilliant.org/NightHawk

There are many links below to references used in creating this video, and I'll start with the link to the original demonstration of Starlite on the show Tomorrow's World: https://youtu.be/W4nnLP--uTI

Link to an excellent BBC documentary that first exposed me to Starlite: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2KEtU5wGx-F9mvBeJKT5TRLl2aWWmPdh

A special thanks to James Van Daele for digging up Boeing's patent for fire resistant plastic and sending it my way. That patent can be seen here (still in effect): https://patents.google.com/patent/US7618563

Here is a now expired patent filed by Monsanto (go figure) in 1978 which is now expired, and dives deep into the chemistry of intumescent coatings. Very enlightening, and thanks to it's expired status it is probably the core of the many modern insumescent paints now on the market: https://patents.google.com/patent/US4247435A/
(Possibly coincidental, but it is interesting that this patent was filed just a few years before the invention of Starlite.)

This is the oldest patent for an intumescent fireproofing product I was able to find: https://patents.google.com/patent/BE568040A/en

Another short history of Maurice Ward and Starlite: https://youtu.be/uzpymm-mqmY

Maurice Ward's personal blog (only updated a few times): http://mauricewardstarlite.blogspot.com/

Here is my previous video documenting my first attempt at replicating Starlite: https://youtu.be/aqR4_UoBIzY

Thank you very much to all of my Patreon supporters who have contributed to help me create videos like this one. A special thanks to my top Patrons: Enzo Breda Lee, Jon Hartmann, TheBackyardScientist & Eugene Pakhomov! https://www.patreon.com/NightHawkProjects

Thanks for watching!
-Ben