Multi layered natural rubber coated woven P-aramid and UHMWPE fabric composites for soft body armor application

In this work, the authors have investigated the impact performance of natural rubber (NR) coated high strength, high modulus fabrics. P-aramid (Kevlar 129) and ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fabric were coated with different concentrations of NR solutions (20%, 30%). Samples were produced with different add on percentage. The NR solutions with 20% and 30% solid content provided 4 and 6% add-on on p-aramid fabric and 6 and 9% add-on on UHMWPE fabric. Multilayered fabric structures coated with NR were also studied. Compression molding technique was used to prepare the layered fabric structures. The effect of coating with different add-on percentages of NR on fabrics was studied. The pull out force increased by approximate to 480% and 360% on NR-coated p-aramid and UHMWPE fabrics, respectively. Although the impact energy absorption of single layer NR-coated fabrics was lower than that of neat fabrics, there was substantial improvement in the impact energy absorption of the two layered p-aramid and UHMWPE rubber coated fabrics as compared to untreated two layered ones. The increase was 44% and 81%, respectively, for Kevlar and UHMWPE fabrics. Further, the effect of NR latex treatment on tensile strength of fabrics has also been studied. POLYM. COMPOS., 39:3636-3644, 2018. (c) 2017 Society of Plastics Engineers