Influence factors on ballistic performance and failure mechanism of fiber reinforced resin matrix composite

The armor plates manufactured by pressing curing process which using UHMWPE fiber, S-glass fiber, Aramid 1414 fiber or Heterocyclic aramid fiber as reinforcement and thermoplastic resin (PO or WPU) as matrix were experimentally investigated in this paper. The effects on the ballistic performance were also investigated utilizing a series of ballistic limit velocity tests. The fractured morphologies of the armor plates were observed by stereomicroscopy. Finally, the damage mechanisms of fiber reinforced polymer composites were analyzed. It is shown from the results that there is a positive correlation between the ballistic performance of UHMWPE reinforced PO resin matrix composite armor plate and the stress and modulus of UHMWPE fiber. However, the influences of fiber modulus on the ballistic performance are gradually decreased with the increase of the fiber modulus. For WPU resin matrix, the ballistic performances of the four kinds of fiber from high to low are UHMWPE fiber, Heterocyclic aramid fiber, Aramid 1414 fiber and S-glass fiber. The fiber fractured morphologies of fiber reinforced polymer armor plates are fiber shear and plugging on front surface, fiber tensile deformation and cut in middle and fiber tensile fracture on rear surface. The main middle fiber tensile deformation is the main fracture mode.