Jul 8, 2025

US12350908 - Lightweight nanoparticle composition for a protective apparatus and method of making

The present disclosure describes articles that may be used in protective gear, including but not limited to body armor, helmets, shields, or barriers. These articles may include a polymeric material coated with nanoparticles, in a single layer or in multiple layers, which are treated to form a composite. The articles may further include a ceramic layer and/or a back-face layer. Such articles may be useful for protecting an object or wearer against projectiles.

Assignee: Technology Innovation Institute—Sole Proprietorship LLC
Inventors: Rafael Celeghini Santiago, Monserrat Gutierrez, Haleimah Al Abdouli, Abdulla AlShehhi, Zhongwei Guan
Filing date: 2023-08-07

The patent describes a method for producing a lightweight composite material for protective gear, utilizing a polymeric base coated with nanoparticles and subjected to hot pressing. This composite is designed to offer effective protection against projectiles while maintaining a low areal density and minimal back-face signature.

Claim 1

A method for producing a composite for a protective apparatus, comprising steps of: providing a polymeric material comprising polyethylene, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, polypropylene, para-aramid, polyether ether ketone, polyaryletherketone, polyepoxide, or combinations thereof, coating the polymeric material with nanoparticles using a coating method to produce a coated polymeric sheet, wherein the nanoparticles comprise carbon nanotubes, graphene, silicon dioxide, boron nitrite, or combinations thereof, and treating the coated polymeric sheet using a treatment method to form a composite, wherein the treatment method comprises hot pressing the coated polymeric sheet at a temperature of 100° C. to 400° C. and a pressure of 100 bar to 400 bar, wherein the composite has an areal density of at most 40.0 kg/m 2 and exhibits a back-face signature of at most 44 mm when struck with a 7.62×51 mm NATO projectile. providing a polymeric material comprising polyethylene, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, polypropylene, para-aramid, polyether ether ketone, polyaryletherketone, polyepoxide, or combinations thereof, coating the polymeric material with nanoparticles using a coating method to produce a coated polymeric sheet, wherein the nanoparticles comprise carbon nanotubes, graphene, silicon dioxide, boron nitrite, or combinations thereof, and treating the coated polymeric sheet using a treatment method to form a composite, wherein the treatment method comprises hot pressing the coated polymeric sheet at a temperature of 100° C. to 400° C. and a pressure of 100 bar to 400 bar, wherein the composite has an areal density of at most 40.0 kg/m 2 and exhibits a back-face signature of at most 44 mm when struck with a 7.62×51 mm NATO projectile.

Google Patents

https://patents.google.com/patent/US12350908

USPTO PDF

https://image-ppubs.uspto.gov/dirsearch-public/print/downloadPdf/12350908