Effect of Aging on Unidirectional Composite Laminate Polyethylene for Body Armor

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 re...

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Main Authors: Amy Engelbrecht-Wiggans, Zois Tsinas, Ajay Krishnamurthy, Amanda L. Forster
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2023-03-01
Series:Polymers
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/15/6/1347
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author Amy Engelbrecht-Wiggans
Zois Tsinas
Ajay Krishnamurthy
Amanda L. Forster
author_facet Amy Engelbrecht-Wiggans
Zois Tsinas
Ajay Krishnamurthy
Amanda L. Forster
author_sort Amy Engelbrecht-Wiggans
collection DOAJ
description 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.
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spelling doaj.art-f1994e0cba6c4fdb97882416535744972023-11-17T13:24:15ZengMDPI AGPolymers2073-43602023-03-01156134710.3390/polym15061347Effect of Aging on Unidirectional Composite Laminate Polyethylene for Body ArmorAmy Engelbrecht-Wiggans0Zois Tsinas1Ajay Krishnamurthy2Amanda L. Forster3Mechanical Engineering Department, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY 14623, USAMaterial Measurement Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD 20899, USAMaterial Measurement Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD 20899, USAMaterial Measurement Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD 20899, USAThe 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.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/15/6/1347composite laminateflexible compositestrip tensile testingbody armorpolyethylenehydrothermal aging
spellingShingle Amy Engelbrecht-Wiggans
Zois Tsinas
Ajay Krishnamurthy
Amanda L. Forster
Effect of Aging on Unidirectional Composite Laminate Polyethylene for Body Armor
Polymers
composite laminate
flexible composite
strip tensile testing
body armor
polyethylene
hydrothermal aging
title Effect of Aging on Unidirectional Composite Laminate Polyethylene for Body Armor
title_full Effect of Aging on Unidirectional Composite Laminate Polyethylene for Body Armor
title_fullStr Effect of Aging on Unidirectional Composite Laminate Polyethylene for Body Armor
title_full_unstemmed Effect of Aging on Unidirectional Composite Laminate Polyethylene for Body Armor
title_short Effect of Aging on Unidirectional Composite Laminate Polyethylene for Body Armor
title_sort effect of aging on unidirectional composite laminate polyethylene for body armor
topic composite laminate
flexible composite
strip tensile testing
body armor
polyethylene
hydrothermal aging
url https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/15/6/1347
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