Use of patterned thermoplastic hot film to create flexible ballistic composite laminates from UHMWPE fabric

• Published in: Materials & design 2022-02, Vol.214, p.110403, Article 110403
• Main Authors: Mudzi, Panashe, Wu, Rong, Firouzi, Dariush, Ching, Chan Y., Farncombe, Troy H., Ravi Selvaganapathy, P.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Ballistic impact; Body armor; Hot film; Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE)
• ISSN: 0264-1275; 1873-4197
• DOI: 10.1016/j.matdes.2022.110403

[Display omitted] •New method for integration of hard thermoplastic patterns into soft and flexible fabrics has been developed.•Using this manufacturing processes, overlapping patterns of hard thermoplastic patterns were used to produce highly flexible yet ballistic resistant panels.•25 layer panel was able to stop 0.357 magnum ammunition shot at 435.9 ± 9 m/s while being flexible. Thermoplastic resin is infused into fabric layers to form rigid fiber-reinforced composites (FRCs), which are commonly used for ballistic resistance purposes. Here, we explore the use of patterned thermoplastic hot film as a rapid and straightforward method to laminate plain-weave UHMWPE and demonstrate that these composites have attractive ballistic and stiffness properties. Lamination of 25 layers of fabric using hot press compression lamination of each individual layer with hot film was able to confer the ability to stop 0.357 magnum ammunition shot at 435.9 ± 9 m/s. Patterning the hot film resulted in the composite panels retaining most of their flexibility without losing their ballistic performance compared to when they are laminated with plain (not patterned) hot film. Using the hot film for lamination results in an increase in energy absorption of the laminates with a smaller backface signature and backface volume. These laminates are lighter and more flexible than the commonly used hot resin-infused FRC.