Evaluation of the Absorbed Energy and Velocity Limits of Reinforced Epoxy Composites with Mallow Natural Fibers Used in Ballistic Protection

Abstract

In the present work, natural fibers of mallow (Urena Lobata, Linn) were used in percentages of 0, 10, 20, and 30% vol. for ballistic application in epoxy matrix composites. The ballistic efficiency of these composites was evaluated through the measurement of the absorbed energy and the velocity limit, after impact of 7.62 mm ammunition, in order to compare with work that used composites with other natural fibers and traditional materials, such as aramid fabrics, used in vests for individual protection. The results showed through visual analysis and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) indicate the main mechanism of rupture acting in the composites was the delamination of layers. In all cases analyzed in this work, the parameters obtained for the residual velocity test were higher than those found for aramid tissue. This fact evidences the viability of the fibers/mallow fabric for use in dynamic applications, especially those related to ballistic protection.