Dataset Information

Effect of Aging on Unidirectional Composite Laminate Polyethylene for Body Armor.

ABSTRACT: The construction of ballistic-resistant body armor is experiencing an increasing use of flexible unidirectional (UD) composite laminates that comprise multiple layers. Each UD layer contains hexagonally packed high-performance fibers with a very low modulus matrix (sometimes referred to as binder resins). Laminates are then made from orthogonal stacks of these layers, and these laminate-based armor packages offer significant performance advantages over standard woven materials. When designing any armor system, the long-term reliability of the armor materials is critical, particularly with regard to stability with exposure to temperature and humidity, as these are known causes of degradation in commonly used body armor materials. To better inform future armor designers, this work investigates the tensile behavior of an ultra-high molar mass polyethylene (UHMMPE) flexible UD laminate that was aged for at least 350 d at two accelerated conditions: 70 °C at 76% relative humidity (RH) and 70 °C in a desiccator. Tensile tests were performed at two different loading rates. The mechanical properties of the material after ageing demonstrated less than 10% degradation in tensile strength, indicating high reliability for armor made from this material.

SUBMITTER: Engelbrecht-Wiggans A

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10058555 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Effect of Aging on Unidirectional Composite Laminate Polyethylene for Body Armor.

Engelbrecht-Wiggans Amy A Tsinas Zois Z Krishnamurthy Ajay A Forster Amanda L AL

Polymers 20230308 6

The construction of ballistic-resistant body armor is experiencing an increasing use of flexible unidirectional (UD) composite laminates that comprise multiple layers. Each UD layer contains hexagonally packed high-performance fibers with a very low modulus matrix (sometimes referred to as binder resins). Laminates are then made from orthogonal stacks of these layers, and these laminate-based armor packages offer significant performance advantages over standard woven materials. When designing an ...[more]

PMID: 36987127

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Project description:Roma Plastilina No. 1 (RP1), an artist modeling clay that has been used as a ballistic clay, is essential for evaluation and certification in standards-based ballistic resistance testing of body armor. It serves as a ballistic witness material (BWM) behind the armor, where the magnitude of the plastic deformation in the clay after a ballistic impact is the figure of merit (known as "backface signature"). RP1 is known to exhibit complex thermomechanical behavior that requires temperature conditioning and frequent performance-based evaluations to verify that its deformation response satisfies requirements. A less complex BWM formulation that allows for room-temperature storage and use as well as a more consistent thermomechanical behavior than RP1 is desired, but a validation based only on ballistic performance would be extensive and expensive to accommodate the different ballistic threats. A framework of lab-scale metrologies for measuring the effects of strain, strain rate, and temperature dependence on mechanical properties are needed to guide BWM development. The current work deals with rheological characterization of a candidate BWM, i.e., silicone composite backing material (SCBM), to understand the fundamental structure⁻property relationships in comparison to those of RP1. Small-amplitude oscillatory shear frequency sweep experiments were performed at temperatures that ranged from 20 °C to 50 °C to map elastic and damping contributions in the linear elastic regime. Large amplitude oscillatory shear (LAOS) experiments were conducted in the non-linear region and the material response was analyzed in the form of Lissajous curve representations with the values of perfect plastic dissipation ratio reported to identify the degree of plasticity. The results show that the SCBM exhibits dynamic properties that are similar in magnitude to those of temperature-conditioned RP1, but with minimal temperature sensitivity and weaker frequency dependence than RP1. Both SCBM and RP1 are identified as elastoviscoplastic materials, which is particularly important for accurate determination of backface signature in body armor evaluation. The mechanical properties of SCBM show some degree of aging and work history effects. The results from this work demonstrate that the rheological properties of SCBM, at small and large strains, are similar to RP1 with substantial improvements in BWM performance requirements in terms of temperature sensitivity and thixotropy.

Dataset Information

Effect of Aging on Unidirectional Composite Laminate Polyethylene for Body Armor.

Publications

Effect of Aging on Unidirectional Composite Laminate Polyethylene for Body Armor.

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