Title

AN INVESTIGATION OF THE DYNAMIC RESPONSE OF HMWPE/MMT NANOCOMPOSITES AT VERY HIGH RATES OF LOADING

AN INVESTIGATION OF THE DYNAMIC RESPONSE OF HMWPE/MMT NANOCOMPOSITES AT VERY HIGH RATES OF LOADING

Authorship

Pereira, Iaci Miranda; Cardoso, André Luís de Vasconcelos; Souza, Sâmara Durães de; Patrício, Patrícia Santiago de Oliveira

Pereira, Iaci Miranda

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Cardoso, André Luís de Vasconcelos

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Souza, Sâmara Durães de

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Patrício, Patrícia Santiago de Oliveira

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DOI

10.5151/2594-5327-23428

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Abstract

A personal body armor or a ballistic vest is a personal protective equipment that provides protection against specific ballistic threats within its coverage area. Due to the low weight combined with high mechanical resistance, polymer matrix composite and their laminate are the current state-of-the-art body armor system. Modern structural composites are produced from a combination of two or more components. One component is generally made of reinforcing fibers or particles (dispersed phase) which confer rigidity and the other is a matrix (continuous phase) which keeps the fibers in position. When applied as ballistic panel, the composite must have the ability to: (a) absorb the projectile’s kinetic energy locally through plastic deformation; and (b) spread out the absorbed energy fast before local conditions for the failure are met. Moreover, the continuous matrix in these composites plays an important role for energy absorption in the penetration direction and energy dissipation along ply direction. Today’s ballistic systems use a variety of materials. Recently, high molecular weight polyethylene (HMWPE) have been used as matrix for ballistic panels providing excellent protection for people and vehicles. The present paper aims to study the ballistic resistant of HMWPE reinforced with cationic modified nanoparticles using a Davies Tension Bar at high strain-rates. The proposal is to modify the morphology, improving the absorbing impact energy behavior.

A personal body armor or a ballistic vest is a personal protective equipment that provides protection against specific ballistic threats within its coverage area. Due to the low weight combined with high mechanical resistance, polymer matrix composite and their laminate are the current state-of-the-art body armor system. Modern structural composites are produced from a combination of two or more components. One component is generally made of reinforcing fibers or particles (dispersed phase) which confer rigidity and the other is a matrix (continuous phase) which keeps the fibers in position. When applied as ballistic panel, the composite must have the ability to: (a) absorb the projectile’s kinetic energy locally through plastic deformation; and (b) spread out the absorbed energy fast before local conditions for the failure are met. Moreover, the continuous matrix in these composites plays an important role for energy absorption in the penetration direction and energy dissipation along ply direction. Today’s ballistic systems use a variety of materials. Recently, high molecular weight polyethylene (HMWPE) have been used as matrix for ballistic panels providing excellent protection for people and vehicles. The present paper aims to study the ballistic resistant of HMWPE reinforced with cationic modified nanoparticles using a Davies Tension Bar at high strain-rates. The proposal is to modify the morphology, improving the absorbing impact energy behavior.

Keywords

Dynamic testing; Energy absorption; Nanocomposites; Ballistic protection.

Dynamic testing; Energy absorption; Nanocomposites; Ballistic protection.