Composite ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) material and method of manufacture of the same

A method of manufacture of a composite UHMWPE material (20), comprising:

• providing a single ply of high tenacity ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) woven fabric having warp fibers (23) in a first direction and weft fibers (22) in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, the UHMWPE fabric (21) having a first face and a second face, the UHMWPE fabric (21) having crystalline components and amorphous (non-crystalline) components;
• and
• positioning two stretch resisting fusion layers (24) of a biaxially oriented film, with a first of the fusion layers (24) fused to the first face of the UHMWPE fabric (21) and a second of the fusion layers (24) fused to the second face of the UHMWPE fabric (21), the first fusion layer (24) being fused to the first face of the UHMWPE fabric (21) with an axis of the first fusion layer (24) aligned parallel with the first direction and the second fusion layer (24) being fused to the second face of the UHMWPE fabric (21) with an axis of the second fusion layer (24) aligned parallel with the second direction;
• constraining the warp fibers (23) of the UHMWPE fabric (21) from shrinking;
• constraining the weft fibers (22) of the UHMWPE fabric (21) from shrinking;
• applying heat and fusing the stretch resisting fusion layer (24) onto the UHMWPE fabric (21) while constraining the warp fibers (23) and the weft fibers (22) to inhibit shrinkage of the UHMWPE fabric (21), the heat applied being a temperature where constrained, only the amorphous non-crystalline component of the constrained UHMWPE fabric (21) melts and the crystalline component does not melt;
• cooling the heated UHMWPE composite fabric while continuing to constrain the warp fibers (23) and the weft fibers (22) of the UHMWPE fabric (21);
• wherein the first fusion layer (24) fused to the first face (28) of the UHMWPE fabric (21) with the axis of the first fusion layer (24) aligned parallel with the first direction without tension inhibits bias stretch of the UHMWPE fabric (21), and the second fusion layer (24) fused to the second face (29) of the UHMWPE fabric (21) with the axis of the second fusion layer (24) aligned parallel with the second direction inhibits bias stretch of the UHMWPE fabric (21), and the UHMWPE fabric warp fibers (23) and weft fibers (22) being fused at their overlap regions by the co-melting of the amorphous component of the UHMWPE fabric (21) increases the bias strength of the UHMWPE fabric (21).