Ballistic Properties of Hybrid Thermoplastic Composites with Silica Nanoparticles

Abstract

Multi-axial aramid fabrics have a wide range of applications in the construction of composite structures for body armor. Nanoparticles, which include nanosilica, are one of the most common nanofillers for these structures. The particles of nanosilica possess nanometer dimensions with high specific surface area. Silane coupling agents are mostly used for modifying nanosilica surface in order to prevent silica agglomeration. Incorporation of nanosilica treated with silane adhesion promoter, in the matrix part of the hybrid composite form, leads to increased resistance to the bullet shock impact. In this study, the resistance to penetration of a shot bullet was tested for four samples of the aramid fabric composite forms. All fabrics were coated with gamma-aminopropyl triethoxysilane (AMEO silane)/ethanol solution. Two samples were impregnated with poly (vinyl butyral) (PVB)/ethanol solution, while the other two were impregnated with the same solution, but with the addition of the 30 wt.% AMEO silane modified silica nanoparticles as reinforcement. The samples were both hard and flexible options. The bullet-shooting test was applied to all the composites by two different bullet types. The structural design of the samples improved the ballistic resistance after the bullets were shot. Some ballistic image analyses for print and penetration depth of the samples were performed using Image Pro-Plus software.