Flexible Armor

A flexible armor, comprising:

• a first layer of fiber weave material, wherein the first layer of fiber weave material forms an outermost layer on one side of the flexible armor;
• a second layer of fiber weave material, wherein the second layer of fiber weave material forms an outmost layer opposite the first layer on the other side of the flexible armor;
• an inner ceramic layer, wherein the inner ceramic layer is a single continuous piece of interlinked ceramic material that is in between the first layer of fiber weave material and the second layer of fiber weave material;
• and
• a shear thickening fluid, wherein the shear thickening fluid is coated onto the first layer of fiber weave material, the second layer of fiber weave material, the inner ceramic layer, or a combination thereof.

A method of making flexible armor, comprising:

• 3D printing an inner ceramic layer, wherein the inner ceramic layer is a single continuous piece of interlinked ceramic material;
• attaching a first layer of fiber weave material to a second layer of fiber weave material, thereby enclosing the inner ceramic layer within the first and second layer of fiber weave material, wherein the first layer of fiber weave material forms an outermost layer on one side of the flexible armor and the second layer of fiber weave material forms an outmost layer opposite the first layer of fiber weave material on the other side of the flexible armor;
• and
• coating a first layer of fiber weave material, a second layer of fiber weave material, the inner ceramic layer, or a combination thereof in shear thickening fluid, wherein the first layer of fiber weave material or the second layer of fiber weave material is coated in shear thickening fluid prior to attaching and the inner ceramic layer is coated in shear thickening fluid after attaching by leaving an opening between the first layer of fiber weave material and second layer of fiber weave material to form a pouch with the inner ceramic layer therein prior to completing the attaching of the first layer of fiber weave material and second layer of fiber weave material and adding the shear thickening fluid to the pouch onto the inner ceramic layer and then completing the attaching the first layer of fiber weave material and second layer of fiber weave material together.