Research and application progress of polymer composites in armor protection

Abstract

Non-metallic materials such as fiber reinforced resin matrix composites with high specific strength and high specific energy absorption are the key material technologies to realize lightweight and strong protection of armor equipment. Aiming at the requirement of armored equipment protective components for high-performance ballistic materials, the technical progress, application status and development trend of polymer composite in the field of armor protection were summarized. The application of fiber reinforced resin matrix composites in composite armor, structural armor, multi-functional protective components and transparent polymer materials in transparent armor was discussed. Comparative analysis on the development and application status of high-grade organic fibers such as aramid Ⅱ, aramid Ⅲ, PBO, PIPD in China was carried out. A series of developments based on the maturity of fiber technology and different manufacturing costs, meeting the requirements of the near-term, mid-term, long-term armored equipment protection structure were proposed,and suggestions to strengthen the research on graphene ballistic materials, smart armor materials and other cutting-edge emerging protective materials and their mechanisms, and to establish and improve material evaluation methods, mechanism models and databases in the future were put forward.

Keywords

• fiber
• composite material
• armor protection
• transparent armor
• research progress