Ballistic resistant material
AssigneeSynthetic Applied Technologies LLC
InventorsJames Arthur Warren, Jason Lovaine Blaylock
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A composite material system having an aggregate bound by an elastomer encapsulant. The composite material (CM) is designed to defeat impinging projectiles by converting the kinetic energy (KE) in the projectile to damage in the aggregate and the elastomer and increasing the thermal energy in the CM and the projectile via frictional heating. In one embodiment, the CM comprises certain kinds of rocks encapsulated (or bound) in a hyper-elastic polymer, such as polyurethane (“PU”). The CM may be shaped into convenient shapes from modular assembly to create a ballistic resistant surface.
Claims11
A composite material structure, comprising:
- an aggregate comprising a plurality of particles that are graded over a range of average particle sizes, wherein said range of average particle sizes of said aggregate has a maximum size of about 30 mm in diameter and a minimum size of about 0.1 mm in diameter, wherein said aggregate is configured to a density within a range of 1,400 kg/m3 and 1,700 kg/m3;
- and
- an encapsulant comprising an elastomer;
- wherein said aggregate is distributed throughout said encapsulant such that said structure stops or significantly impedes a projectile that is incident upon said composite material structure.
A method of manufacturing a composite material structure, comprising:
- providing a mold having a particular shape;
- washing and drying an aggregate material;
- placing an amount of said aggregate material in said mold, said aggregate configured to a density between 1,400 kg/m3 and 1,700 kg/m3, wherein said amount of said aggregate material is determined by a desired density for said composite material structure;
- vibrating the aggregate within the mold to uniformly settle the aggregate within the mold;
- introducing a liquid elastomer encapsulant into said mold at a base of said mold such that said encapsulant upfills said mold around said aggregate;
- curing said encapsulant within said mold;
- and removing said composite material structure from said mold.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.