Experimental evaluation of a novel hybrid ceramic/Kevlar XP textile composite soft panels

The development of lightweight, flexible, and high-performance soft armor systems for personal protective equipment remains a significant challenge, particularly for applications such as explosive ordnance disposal suits and demining that are exposed to shrapnel, fragments, and stabbing threats. This study assesses a composition of four composite panel using a single-layer ceramic fabric samples that were used as untreated and treated soft panel samples; on the other hand, the multilayer of a hybrid soft composite material (Ceramic fabric/Kevlar XP fabric) consisting of nine layers of Kevlar XP S104 fabric samples without treatment, which was used as a witness sample in conjunction with ceramic layers, the ceramic fabric layer being used once without treatment and the other time as treated samples. The mechanical behavior of the developed panels was assessed through standardized physical and mechanical testing procedures, including mass per unit area, thickness, puncture resistance, displacement, tensile strength and elongation. The findings show that most mechanical and physical properties are greatly improved by poly-aspartic polyurea treatment, especially in treated multilayer ceramic fabric/Kevlar XP fabric panels showed better puncture resistance, demonstrating the complementary role of ceramic fabric reinforcement. After treatment, contact angle measurements showed a change in surface behavior from hydrophilic to hydrophobic, suggesting increased moisture resistance. Effective polymer penetration and bonding within and between fibers were further verified by scanning electron microscopy.