Abstract:Shear thickening fluid (STF) is a kind of dense suspensions, which is obtained by dispering nano or micro particles in polar dispersed medium. Under applying stress, the mechanical properties of STF will show rapid, significant and reversible changes. Due to the excellent ability of energy absorption, STF has great prospects in many applications, such as shock absorption, soft armor and dampers. In this paper, we firstly introduced the preparation of high performance STF, as well as the mechanical behaviors of STF under different loads. In addition, we discussed the state-of-the art for experimental and theoretical researches of the shear thickening mechanism. Finally, we concluded the practical applications of STF and proposed some future trends in this material developments.