Title: Improved Interyarn Friction and Impact Response of Surface Fibrilized Aramid Fabric

Authors: Jalal Nasser, Kelsey Steinke, and Henry A. Sodano

DOI: 10.33599/nasampe/s.19.1511

Abstract: As aramid fabrics grow in use in ballistic applications such as soft body armors, the improvement of their ballistic properties continues to garner great research interest. Of these properties, interyarn friction is considered to be highly important given that it dictates the fabrics’ energy absorption mechanism. In this work, a novel surface fibrilization method of aramid fibers is used to improve the ability of aramid fabric to dissipate ballistic energy. The same method has been previously shown to considerably improve the interfacial and interlaminar properties of aramid fiber polymer matrix reinforced composites. The ballistic performance of bare and fibrilized fabrics was evaluated using tow pullout and impact testing. Fibrilized fabrics showed a 7 times higher pullout energy and a 10 m/s increase in V50 velocity, compared to that of untreated fabrics, while conserving its original strength. Reinforcement mechanisms were finally investigated using scanning electron microscopy imaging. The presented results provide a fast and simple aramid fabric fibrilization technique that enhances the impact response of aramid-based soft body armors.

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Conference: SAMPE 2019 - Charlotte, NC

Publication Date: 2019/05/20

SKU: TP19--1511

Pages: 14

Price: FREE