Title: BALLISTIC PERFORMANCE AND FAILURE MECHANISMS OF MONOLITHIC BORON CARBIDE COMPOSITE PANEL AGAINST HIGH VELOCITY ARMOUR PIERCING INCENDIARY PROJECTILE

Authors: Abhishek Prajapati, G. Rajesh Babu, Saurabh Kumar

DOI: https://doi.org/10.33599/GL.2026.INCOMAT.TP26-0005

Abstract: Monolithic boron carbide (B₄C) ceramic panel combined with ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) backing was fabricated and evaluated for ballistic testing against 7.62 mm × 54 R armor-piercing incendiary (API) projectiles. On ballistic testing the panel resisted perforation on first impact with a backface signature (BFS) of 17.33 mm, but sustained partial perforation at the second impact (BFS = 19.22 mm) and complete perforation at the third impact. Quantitative damage area analysis revealed an initial increase in destruction area (3.43 % in first shot to 4.16 % in second shot) due to microcracking, followed by reduction (2.17 % in third shot) with material fragmentation. Macroscopic, X-ray, and SEM fractographic analyses identified conoidal fracture zones, radial cracks, intragranular fracture surfaces, and tear ridges characteristic of brittle failure mechanisms. The study offers microstructural-to-macroscopic insights into the ballistic impact on a boron carbide ceramic composite panel and highlights the potential for developing composite or hybrid panels to improve armour performance.

References: 1. Bekmezci, Muhammed, Ramazan Bayat, Güray Kaya, and Fatih Şen. "Applications of Boron and Derivatives in Defense Industry: Mini Review." International Journal of Boron Science and Nanotechnology 2 (2025): 24-38. 2. Audu, M. U., J. O. Akindapo, and D. U. Orueri. "DEVELOPMENT AND COMPARATIVE STUDY ON THE MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF ALUMINA-SILICON CARBIDE AND BORON CARBIDE CERAMIC AS MATERIALS FOR BALLISTIC APPLICATION." Nigerian Journal of Engineering Science and Technology Research 11, no. 1 (2025): 142-157. 3. Kordani, Naser. "Materials, design, and technology of body armor." In Advances in healthcare and protective textiles, pp. 259-301. Woodhead Publishing, 2023. 4. Sharma, A., et al. "Ballistic performance of functionally graded boron carbide composites." Composites Science and Technology, 207 (2022). 5. da Silva Chagas, Naiara Pirahi, Vinícius de Oliveira Aguiar, Fabio da Costa Garcia Filho, André Ben-Hur da Silva Figueiredo, Sergio Neves Monteiro, Noemi Raquel Checca Huaman, and Maria de Fátima Vieira Marques. "Ballistic performance of boron carbide nanoparticles reinforced ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE)." Journal of Materials Research and Technology 17 (2022): 1799-1811. 6. Zare, Arezoo, Mo‐Rigen He, Michael Straker, M. V. S. Chandrashekhare, Michael Spencer, Kevin J. Hemker, James W. McCauley, and K. T. Ramesh. "Mechanical characterization of boron carbide single crystals." Journal of the American Ceramic Society 105, no. 5 (2022): 3030-3042. 7. Callister, William D., and David G. Rethwisch. Fundamentals of materials science and engineering. John Wiley & Sons, 2022. 8. Shoulders, William Taylor, Matthew Guziewski, and Jeffrey J. Swab. "Microstructural and thermal stress effects on mechanical properties of boron carbide particle‐reinforced silicon carbide." Journal of the American Ceramic Society 107, no. 2 (2024): 1249-1261. 9. Shen, Yidi, Moon Young Yang, William A. Goddard III, and Qi An. "Strengthening boron carbide by doping Si into grain boundaries." Journal of the American Ceramic Society 105, no. 5 (2022): 2978-2989. 10. Gdoutos, Emmanuel, and Maria Konsta-Gdoutos. Mechanical Testing of Materials. Springer Nature Switzerland, 2024. 11. Ramesh, K. T., Lori Graham‐Brady, William A. Goddard, Ryan C. Hurley, Mark Robbins, Andrew L. Tonge, Amartya Bhattacharjee et al. "Models for the behavior of boron carbide in extreme dynamic environments." Journal of the American Ceramic Society 105, no. 5 (2022): 3043-3061. 12. Zare, Arezoo, Pinkesh Malhotra, Mo-Rigen He, Justin Moreno, Matt Shaeffer, Casey J. Frantz, Kevin J. Hemker, and K. T. Ramesh. "Mechanical response and failure mechanisms of novel boron carbide ceramics under medium and high strain rates." Journal of the European Ceramic Society (2025): 117991.

Conference: INCOMAT 2026

Publication Date: 2026/03/13

SKU: INCOMAT.TP26-0005

Pages: 12

Price: $24.00