How RHEON energy-absorbing technology works

Dynamic energy-absorbing technology

RHEON™ is a dynamic, energy-absorbing polymer developed over 15 years at Imperial College London, one of the world’s leading institutes for material science and engineering innovation.

Formed into metamaterial structures using patented computational design techniques, RHEON™ delivers properties that were previously thought impossible: a material that is soft and flexible in normal use but dynamically stiffens and dissipates energy precisely when movement or force is applied.

The name RHEON originates from Rheology, the branch of physics that explores how matter flows and responds when force is applied. Its principles are at the core of everything we build.

Today, RHEON™ technology is integrated into products by 30+ brands across protective equipment, activewear, helmets, sports bras, PPE, and industrial applications, with partners like adidas, Decathlon, Ruroc, Fly Racing, Milwaukee Tool and Stretchline.

How RHEON™ technology works

At the core of RHEON™ is an energy-absorbing super polymer with strain-rate sensitive behaviour – meaning it responds differently depending on the speed and direction of force applied to it.

When formed into RHEON’s patented geometric structures, the material becomes a metamaterial: an engineered architecture that delivers performance characteristics conventional foams, gels, or padding can’t match.

The result is a material that can simultaneously provide flexibility and comfort during normal movement, while delivering high-performance energy control at the moment of impact, vibration, or tension.

RHEON™ can be applied via injection moulding, film lamination onto fabric, and additive manufacturing – RHEON’s 3D printing pellets are the first thermoplastic, strain-rate sensitive material designed specifically for 3D printing, allowing product teams to prototype and produce complex geometries without tooling investment.

Three applications. One material.

Impact Control

RHEON™ is soft and flexible in its natural state but stiffens dynamically on impact to dissipate significantly more energy than conventional static materials such as foam.

Unlike conventional energy-absorbing materials that degrade after a single impact event, RHEON™ is multi-impact – proven to deliver consistent performance after 10,000 impacts, validated by the NFL.

In protective armour, this means CE-certified motorcycle and mountain bike armour inserts that move freely with the rider but respond instantly on impact. In helmets, it enables multi-impact head protection with both linear and rotational force management – the same technology that underpinned RHEON’s NFL Helmet Challenge win in 2019.

Vibration Control

RHEON™ actively dampens vibration and noise, reacting in real time to control small vibrations and persistent resonance. The same dynamic stiffening mechanism that handles high-energy impacts also makes RHEON™ exceptionally effective at managing the repeated vibrations that cause fatigue, discomfort, and long-term injury.

We use Constrained-Layer Damping (CLD), sandwiching ultra-thin layers of RHEON™ within composite structures

In sporting equipment, RHEON’s anti-vibration technology, developed with partners including Macron, addresses the sustained vibrations that effect comfort and performance in everything from rackets to handlebars and golf clubs.

Tension and Movement Control

RHEON™ reacts to changes in movement and tension, dynamically stiffening to provide support precisely when and where it is needed, then relaxing when force eases. This behaviour makes it uniquely suited to wearable applications where the material should work with the body rather than against it.

Applied as a film on fabric, thin strips of RHEON™ can be strategically placed across key muscle groups or soft tissue areas to control movement, absorb energy and provide targeted support, without adding bulk or restricting natural motion. This is the foundation of RHEON Activewear, currently available from partners including Adidas and Decathlon. The same tension-response mechanism also underpins RHEON’s bra technology where we can integrate RHEON™ across a range of applications from strap and underband elastics to cups, reducing bust movement and the resulting discomfort.

Technology proven at the highest level

RHEON™ technology has been widely tested and validated across from independent university research to Olympic podiums.

In 2021, RHEON’s energy-absorbing helmet cells led to a win at the NFL Helmet Challenge, a programme funded by the NFL to advance understanding of head injury biomechanics. The RHEON™ cell was validated for its ability to cushion lower impacts while stiffening dynamically against high-speed collisions.

Independent testing by the University of Bologna on RHEON™-integrated Macron padel rackets demonstrated a 23% reduction in the intensity of vibrations transmitted to the player, and 30% faster damping of vibrations compared to standard rackets – quantified, third-party evidence of RHEON’s vibration control performance.

Working with Milwaukee Tool on the BOLT Safety Helmet with RHEON™ impact liner, the helmet delivered industry-leading impact protection, targeting the angled forces that occur during slips, trips, and falls. Independent testing by the Virginia Tech Institute ranked the helmet number one – confirming best-in-class performance across multiple impact locations, validated by one of the most rigorous endorsements available in helmet safety.

RHEON™ Activewear has been worn at the highest levels of competition. At the 2024 Paris Olympics, RHEON™ was integrated into the adidas kits worn by Great Britain, France, and Ethiopia, contributing to multiple medals for Team GB athletes. Alexander Munyao won the 2024 London Marathon in adidas adizero x RHEON™ shorts. Emmanuel Wanyonyi set a men’s world record at the 2024 adidas Road to Records in the same racewear. In 2026, Josh Hoey broke the 800m Indoor World Record wearing the adizero shorts.

RHEON’s body armour for motorcycle and mountain bike riders has been independently tested and certified to the highest possible level 2 impact protection level, against the rigorous ISO-EN-1621 test standards.

Partner with RHEON

RHEON Labs works with brands, manufacturers, and product teams to integrate RHEON™ technology into new and existing product lines. Whether you are developing a new category of protective equipment, enhancing an activewear range, or solving a vibration control challenge, our team of scientists, engineers, and designers can support the full integration process from material specification through to CE certification and production.

Search Press Room Careers