Development of hybrid armor from ultra high density polyethylene and carbon fiber prepregs and investigation of their ballistic properties

As a creation, people felt the need for protection in every period and used different armors depending on the conditions of the time. As weapons and ammunition evolved, armor technology has also evolved to stop or reduce their impact. Composite materials came to the forefront in armor materials because of the importance of lightness as well as ballistic protection. In this study, ballistic (bullet and shrapnel test) and mechanical strength (three-point bending test) of armors of different configurations consisting of ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMW-PE) and epoxy resin carbon fiber prepregs (ERKFP) were investigated. Thereafter, as it was estimated that these armors could be used in different environmental conditions, tests were carried out by conditioning them at +70 oC and -35 oC. In shrapnel tests conducted under room conditions, as 25 layers of UHMW-PE armor was added to ERKFP, the ballistic strength enhanced, and when 6 layers of ERKFP were added, this enhancement increased up to 22.6 %. When 6 layers of ERKFP are added to armor containing only UHMW-PE, the bending stress is increased by 307 %. It is envisioned that with further studies to be carried out, the armors can be used according to the selected configuration by optimizing the ballistic strength and weight according to the threat level.