Polycarbonate Plastic is the Culprit

READ ALL ABOUT THE SUPER HURT 2010 by Joseph Stanovsky PhD
Most football players wear helmets made of a polycarbonate plastic. That plastic was invented by Dr. Daniel Fox, a chemist at G. E. Plastics of Pittsfield Pennsylvania and by Dr. Herman Schnell, a chemist at The Bayer Corporation of Germany. In 1955, both Bayer and G.E. submitted patent applications to the U.S. Patent Office. Bayers patent was awarded because it was dated one week earlier than the G.E. application. However, a prior agreement between Bayer and G.E. changed this patent result (it was said to be a pre-patent contract in which Bayer and G.E. were to share U.S. ownership rights). The polycarbonate manufactured by G.E. Plastics is called Lexan (R) and Bayer manufactures the same material as Makrolon (R). Other names for this polycarbonate plastic are Calibre (R) by Dow Chemical, and Panlite (R) by Teijin Chemical Corp. Polycarbonate plastic has great strength and is often described as bullet proof or as transparent aluminium. Both complimentary descriptions allude to its light weight and high strength. Optometrists use this plastic to make lenses; lens quality material is labeled CR 39 (R). This light weight and high strength material has other characteristics that make it a doubtful choice for football helmets. Lexan (R) is not a good choice because a helmet struck, whether by hammer or head, does not deform. The external diameter of a helmet is usually two to four inches greater than the diameter of a players head and contains shock absorbing material filling all of the volume between a players head and the plastic helmet. The shape of the plastic helmet and the material used to make a helmet is intended to protect a players brain from trauma or sudden shocks. However, helmets only appear to be head protectors. A helmet is principally a formidable weapon and a device that stores the heat generated by the head of an active player. The purpose of a colorful logo on these helmets is to identify players of the same team but its likely purpose is as an advertisement of some sort. Unfortunately, polycarbonate plastic helmets are dangerous to wear for at least two reasons: (1) a player should keep a cool head during a game and not a hotter than normal brain; and (2) helmets made of polycarbonate plastic do not deform when struck. Without any localized deformation the energy of a blow is distributed to the larger volume of a players brain. A significant portion of energy can be absorbed in a deformation process. This energy reduction may be as much as 60% and more, but polycarbonate helmets (aided by those snug fitting liners) actually distribute trauma to the entire volume of a players brain, neck and spine. As a consequence of these polycarbonate helmets there have been many players affected by brain damage caused by concussion. The hurt to a single player blossoms into a Super Hurt when a concussion afflicts players of many ages. The injured athletes may be the very young and college or professional players. Super hurts will affect entire families, especially parents of the injured. Brain injuries that occur in sporting events may even affect game watchers and those dedicated physicians and nurses who see and know about the long term effects of brain injuries. Old leather football helmets, those used during the mostly forgotten days of the great depression, deform when struck. We should and must do something quickly. We can change back to thin leather helmets of the past until a safer design is found and new helmet materials that absorb energy with no energy transfer to the brain. We need a new, shock absorbing material. No! It is the players, young and old, who need helmets not made of Polycarbonate plastic.

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