Efficiency of the use of silicon nitride ceramics as an armor material

Abstract

The efficiency of the use of materials based on Si3N4 for armor is estimated experimentally in comparison with conventional alumina ceramics. It is shown that the studied compositions of monolithic and composite ceramics based on Si3N4 are 12–30% more efficient in ballistic applications than alumina ceramics. Monolithic high-density OTM-917 ceramics based on Si3N4 (PCS) is shown to have the highest physicomechanical properties among the studied materials. The choice of the composition depends on the requirements on the mass, size, and cost of the armor. The experimental results have been confirmed by tests for bullet and splinter strength.