Light-weight semi-rigid composite anti-ballistic systems with engineered compliance and rate-sensitive impact response

Abstract

Composite anti-ballistic systems comprising multiple nested sub-laminates are disclosed wherein each sub-laminate comprises sub-layers of unidirectional tapes comprising monofilaments made from engineering fibers having anti-ballistic properties embedded in polymer matrix materials. The sub-laminates are nested with interfacial materials such as stiffening polymers or polymer foam engineered for controlled compliance, deformation, energy release, and rate sensitive behavior. Alternating foam and sub-laminate layers are nested to form antiballistic plates that can be flat and/or curved, and can be used alone or incorporated into anti-ballistic devices.

We claim: 
     
         1 . An antiballistic composite comprising:
 (a) sub-laminate layers; and   (b) optionally, a high-rate stiffening polymer or polymer foam distributed between said layers.   
     
     
         2 . The composite of  claim 1 , wherein said sub-laminate layers comprise at least one unidirectional tape sub-layer, each of said tape sub-layers comprising parallel monofilaments coated with a resin. 
     
     
         3 . The composite of  claim 2 , wherein said monofilaments have diameters less than about 60 microns and wherein spacing between individual monofilaments within an adjoining strengthening group of monofilaments is within a gap distance in the range between abutting and/or stacked monofilaments up to about 300 times the monofilament major diameter. 
     
     
         4 . The composite of  claim 2 , wherein said monofilaments have modulus greater than 1.0×10 6  psi and failure strength greater than greater than 1.0×10 5 . 
     
     
         5 . The composite of  claim 2 , wherein said tape sub-layers total two in number to form a ply group, and wherein the parallel monofilaments within each of said two sub-layers have a relative orientation of 0°/90° between sub-layers. 
     
     
         6 . The composite of  claim 2 , wherein said tape sub-layers total four in number to form a ply group, and wherein the parallel monofilaments within each of said four sub-layers have a relative orientation of 0°/45°/90°/−45° between sub-layers. 
     
     
         7 . The composite of  claim 2 , wherein said tape sub-layers total nine in number to form a ply group, and wherein the parallel monofilaments within each of said nine sub-layers have a relative orientation of 0°/22.5°/45°/67°/90°/−67°/−45°/−22.5°/0° between sub-layers. 
     
     
         8 . The composite of  claim 2 , wherein said tape sub-layers total any variable in number to form a ply group, and wherein the parallel monofilaments within each of said number of sub-layers have any number of relative orientation between sub-layers. 
     
     
         9 . The composite of  claim 1 , wherein said high-rate stiffening polymer or polymer foam is a viscoelastic dilatory foam material. 
     
     
         10 . An antiballistic device, comprising at least one anti-ballistic composite according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 10 , comprising multiple composites nested into a plate system.