High‐Velocity Impact Response and Comfort Properties of Discrete‐Droplet‐Coated Cushioning Composite Fabrics

ABSTRACT To address the inherent drawbacks of traditional cushioning fabrics, such as excessive weight, poor flexibility, and inadequate thermal‐wet comfort, a novel preparation method for discrete‐droplet‐coated cushioning fabrics was proposed, which effectively balanced high‐velocity impact resistance with air and water vapor permeability. A total of 40 composite fabrics were prepared to systematically investigate the effects of drip molding parameters (droplet diameter, droplet spacing), reagent types, and fabric materials on the composites' properties. The discrete‐droplet‐coated cushioning fabrics exhibited improved lightweight characteristics, with areal density reductions of 10%–30% compared with continuously coated fabrics of comparable thickness. The discrete droplet structures induced localized shear deformation, which delayed the propagation of stress waves. This mechanism yielded a strength enhancement of 31%–58% higher than that of the coating processes, while significantly improving flexibility and sustained deformation capacity. The energy absorption (44.86%–59.19%) and dissipation rates (6.09%–21.88%) of the discrete‐droplet‐coated fabrics were maintained at levels comparable to the coated controls. While, the water vapor permeability was significantly improved, reaching up to 85% of the untreated controls. This work achieves a synergistic optimization of mechanical robustness, lightweight, and thermo‐physiological comfort in cushioning fabrics, offering valuable insights for the structural design of next‐generation protective materials.