Impact resistant hybrid composites reinforced with inorganic nanoparticles and nanotubes of WS2

• Published in: Composites. Part B, Engineering Vol. 176; p. 107222
• Main Authors: Simić, Danica M., Stojanović, Dušica B., Dimić, Mirjana, Mišković, Katarina, Marjanović, Milica, Burzić, Zijah, Uskoković, Petar S., Zak, Alla, Tenne, Reshef
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.11.2019
• Subjects: Aramid fibers; Impact behavior; Inorganic tungsten disulfide; Non-destructive testing; Thermomechanical properties; Aramid fibers; Inorganic tungsten disulfide; Thermomechanical properties; Impact behavior; Non-destructive testing
• ISSN: 1359-8368; 1879-1069
• DOI: 10.1016/j.compositesb.2019.107222

Impact resistant nanocomposites are recognized as promising in saving lives in the car, skiing and bicycle accidents, preventing the failure of polymer-based prostheses and orthotic devices, as well as for various defense applications. This research reports improved impact and ballistic resistance of composite materials based on p-aramid fabric impregnated with phenolic resin and poly (vinyl butyral) (PVB), reinforced with small amounts of inorganic fullerene-like nanoparticles of tungsten disulfide (IF-WS2) and multiwall inorganic nanotubes (INT-WS2). The evaluation of the tensile testing resulted in significant improvements in the tensile strength (24.7%) and toughness (64.1%) for the composites with the addition of only 0.3 wt% INT-WS2 nanotubes. The impact toughness increased by 35.8%; the back-face deformation depths after shots were reduced by 12%; the absorbed energy of the knife stab 8.5% higher and the deformation depth 40.4% smaller than for the sample without the nanoreinforcement. The reaction of the composite material to shot impact was recorded by high-speed and infrared camera, to observe heating and cooling rates of the sample caused by dissipation of the kinetic energy of the shots. [Display omitted]