Nylon- Coated Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene Fabric for Enhanced Penetration Resistance

A coating of Nylon 6,6 or 6,12 was used to improve the penetration resistance of ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fabric that would be potentially useful in the manufacture of flexible body armor against spike/knife threats. Quasi-static test results for the spike penetrator showed a 77% and 86% improvement in the puncture resistance of Nylon 6,6 and Nylon 6,12 coated UHMWPE (respectively) over a neat fabric target of equivalent areal densities. Dynamic impact testing demonstrated dramatic improvement in the puncture resistance of nylon-coated fabrics while only a slight improvement in stab resistance was observed comparing samples with equivalent areal densities. Photography of ruptured areas after quasi-static testing revealed limited fiber motion or fiber stretching with no evidence of fiber pullout for nylon-coated fabric samples in contrast to neat fabric. This suggests that there was a significant increase in energy absorption by nylon-coated fabrics at impact. (c) 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014, 131, 40350.