what is pykrete? Pykrete is a composite material made of approximately 14 percent sawdust or some other form of wood pulp (such as paper) and 86 percent ice by weight. Its use was proposed during World War II by Geoffrey Pyke to the Royal Navy as a candidate material for making a huge, unsinkable aircraft carrier. Pykrete is slightly more difficult to form than concrete, as it expands during the freezing process, but can be repaired and maintained from the sea's most abundant raw material: water.
Pykrete Howto?
Pykrete can be easily formed using water and some form of wood pulp, even newspaper or paper towels; other fibrous materials may also be suitable.The mixture can be molded into any shape and frozen, and it will be extremely tough and durable, as long as it is kept at or below freezing.
Can you Build Ships Out of Ice /Pykrete ? The Mythbusters Investigate Supposedly, inventor Geoffrey Pyke once proposed building ships out of ice to patrol the North Atlantic for the British War Office. By the time two prototypes were built, long-range aircraft had already taken over the job—or so the story goes. Mythbusters Jamie Hyneman and Adam Savage see if a ship made out of ice and sawdust—or, in this case, newspaper—is seaworthy. The full episode airs tonight, April 15, on the Discovery Channel. read full story at popularmechanics.