Effects of Water Immersion on Mechanical Properties of Kevlar Composites Reinforced with ZnO Nanoparticles

Abstract

The Kevlar fabric composites have a wide range of applications in the body armor and lightweight vehicle-armor structures. Nanoparticles are one of the most common nanofillers for these structures. In this research, the testing specimens have been made from the Kevlar fabrics impregnated with the poly (vinyl butyral)/ethanol solution which had been reinforced with the ZnO nanoparticles. The two-layered composite samples have been fabricated by means of hot compression. The immersion of the square Kevlar/PVB specimens for the water uptake measurements has been performed according to the ISO 62 standard. The specimens have been immersed in a water bath filled with the distilled water (40 °C) in the period of 8 weeks. The Kevlar/PVB specimens have been tested in accordance with the ASTM D 3039 standard for the tensile properties and the ASTM D 790– 03 standard for the flexural properties. The tensile and bending characteristics of the dry specimens have been compared with the ones that had undergone the water immersion.