The Cut-/Stab-Resistance of Protective Composite Textiles Reinforced with Particle Additives

Abstract

Abstract This study prepared a soft-rigid unified structure (SRUS) textile composed of inorganic powder (IP) reinforced epoxy resin block (EIPB) array and a soft textile substrate via a pattern-controllable integrated molding method. The effects of IP content and alumina particle size on the cutting and puncture resistance of the resulting SRUS textile were evaluated. The anti-puncture and anti-cutting mechanisms of the SRUS textile were assessed based on the damage morphology and process. The experimental results demonstrated a significant enhancement in the puncture and cut resistance of the SRUS textile after the addition of IP. Moreover, the cut/stab resistance of the SRUS textile increased with the increase of IP content and the size of Al2O3, and the optimal cut/stab resistance was observed at 60 mesh-50 wt.%. The maximum stab and cut resistance of the SRUS textile increased by approximately 19.2% and 62.1%, respectively, reaching the highest protection level when compared to pure SRUS textile. Additionally, the hard passivation at the EIPB and the friction self-locking at the interval were considered to be the anti-puncture mechanism of the SRUS textile, while the anti-cutting mechanism was attributed to the reverse cutting of hard particles on the blade.