A review of armour's use of composite materials

Abstract

Composites with a laminated structure come from stacking ceramic and metal in a particular order. Because of their high strength and hardness, low density of ceramics, and extraordinary flexibility, metals can be used as bulletproof armour. The bullet anti-penetration system includes a ceramic screen that slows down the projectile and splits it up and a metal backplate that plastically deforms to absorb the projectile's kinetic energy. Laminates have several downsides, including weak interface bonding, a tendency for tip cracks due to increased internal stress, and a jarring difference between the metal and ceramic properties. Crack migration and propagation can cause abrupt changes in material characteristics at the ceramic–metal contact. A drop between the ceramic panel and metal backplate can be easily triggered when a ceramic panel is impacted, as cracks form in the interlayer. In this area, the interface bonding strength is still inadequate. In this review, we looked at the meshless smoothed-particle hydrodynamic method for high-velocity impact and massive deformation, the finite-element simulations of interface impact resistance and the first-principles predictions of interface strength. The paper concludes with numerous suggestions for future improvement: Further study is required on ceramic toughening to increase the compatibility of ceramic panels and metal backplates, the performance transition between ceramic and metal, and the reliability of ceramic–metal laminated materials. It is critical to study ways to strengthen metals. More multiscale research using methods like the phase-field method, finite element analysis, and first-principles computations, focusing on how to mix these techniques naturally and successfully, is needed to reinforce metals by introducing nano-phases into metal matrix composites while still retaining the metal's ductility. The latest study that emphasises the potential advantages of hybrid materials, specifically the combination of aramid and kenaf fibres, highlights a notable progression in the domain of armour technology.