Usage of Thermal Coatings for the Improvement of Material Properties for Ballistic Protection in the Military Field. A Review

• Published in: Bulletin of the Polytechnic Institute of Iași. Machine Constructions Section Vol. 70; no. 2; pp. 9 - 25
• Main Authors: Ropotoae, Adrian Ioan, Istrate, Bogdan, Munteanu, Corneliu, Lupu, Fabian Cezar
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Iași Sciendo 01.06.2024; De Gruyter Poland
• Subjects: APS; Armor; Ballistic protection; Cold Spray; Laboratories; Mechanical properties; Microstructural properties
• ISSN: 2537-4869; 1011-2855; 2537-4869
• DOI: 10.2478/bipcm-2024-0006

In this review, the impact on the ballistic protection properties for some materials used in the military field was analysed, in relation to the improvement of mechanical and microstructural properties. The main objective was the ballistic protection materials with the potential to be used as ballistic protection for applications such as bulletproof vests. In the addition to the evaluation related to improvement of the considered material proprieties, the impact on the improvement of the ballistic protection grades was also evaluated in relation with the test standards such as: NIJ, VPAM, NATO STANAG 4569 (Association of Test Laboratories for Attack Resistant Materials and Constructions, 2024; NATO Standardization Office NSDD, 2022; NIJ, 2023). The evaluation that is subject of this paper, it consists of two types of processes: thermal coating using Atmospheric Plasma Spray (APS) method and coatings using Cold Spray method. Using these methods of improving the mechanical properties, the impact on ballistic protection grades was highlighted, considering both standards:(NIJ) Standard 0101.07 (NIJ, 2023) and NIJ Standard 0123.00 (NIJ, 2023), which are defined in alignment with National Institute of Justice from USA. The impact of the materials was also evaluated in relation to the standard VPAM “Association of Test Laboratories for Attack Resistant Materials and Constructions” (Association of Test Laboratories for Attack Resistant Materials and Constructions, 2024) with intended use in Europe and also standard “NATOStandardization Agreements” AEP-55 STANAG 4569 (NATO Standardization Office NSDD, 2022).