Enhancing the Impact and Stab Resistance of Aramid Fabrics Via Boron Carbide-Reinforced Shear Thickening Suspensions
Source abstract
Abstract
The function of single-phase and multi-phase shear thickening fluids (STFs) in body armor applications has been extensively studied. However, boron carbide (B4C), one of the toughest particles, has not been sufficiently investigated for its quasi-static role and low-speed dynamic impact with STF. In this study, multiphase STFs were formulated by incorporating B4C particles with three different size ranges (1-3 mu m, 22-59 mu m, and 125 mu m) into a silica-PEG200-based STF containing 55 wt% silica, at reinforcement concentrations of 5%, 10%, and 20% by weight. These STFs were then impregnated into p-aramid fabrics to fabricate composite samples, which were subjected to low-velocity dynamic impact tests (using a drop tower system according to ASTM D7136) and quasi-static stab tests (using a universal testing machine). The effects of B4C reinforcement content and particle size on the mechanical performance of the STF-treated fabrics were systematically investigated. Based on the test results, the research determines a critical reinforcement threshold of 10%. Beyond this level, excessive B4C disrupts the thickening mechanism of the STF and reduces impact strength. The study shows that increasing B4C particle size improves resistance, particularly in dynamic impact scenarios, but has a limited effect in quasi-static tests due to reduced contact area. The results provide important insights for optimizing STF-reinforced composites for protective applications, balancing material hardness, particle distribution, and STF rheology to maximize performance.
Source: openaire · Quality: candidate unverified · Source record ↗
Research context
OpenAlex topics: Fiber-reinforced polymer composites · Mechanical Behavior of Composites · Natural Fiber Reinforced Composites
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
References (44)
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