Advanced body armor utilizing shear thickening fluids
AssigneeUniversity of Delaware
InventorsNorman J. Wagner, Eric D. Wetzel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An armor composite material has been invented which contains a ballistic fabric which has been impregnated with shear thickening fluid. This invention offers a ballistic resistant material that is more flexible and less bulky than comparable, conventional ballistic fabric. The invented material offers superior ballistic performance compared to conventional ballistic fabric-based materials of equal thickness. The invented material can be applied to applications requiring armor that is compact and/or flexible, such as body armor, protective clothing and flexible protective devices and shields, and stab resistant clothing and devices.
Claims13
A ballistic material for dissipating the kinetic energy of a moving object comprising a fabric which further comprises a shear thickening fluid intercalated into a fabric and/or yarn wherein said shear thickening fluid (STF) remains in a fluid form, and wherein said shear thickening fluid comprises inorganic particles suspended in an organic or silicon based solvent, wherein said solvent comprises ethylene glycol, polyethylene glycol, a silicon oil or phenyltrimethicone or mixtures thereof;
- and wherein said particles are oxides, calcium carbonate, synthetically occurring minerals, naturally occurring minerals or a mixture thereof, and said solvent is environmentally stable and remains integral to said material and said suspended particles during service, and said STF is present in an amount from 0.13 grams to 6.3 grams/per gram of ballistic material;
- wherein said ballistic material contains aramid fibers, graphite fibers, nylon fibers, glass fibers or poly (para-phenylene terephthalamide) fibers.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.