Tensile testing of aged flexible unidirectional composite laminates for body armor

Flexible unidirectional (UD) composite laminates are commonly being used for ballistic-resistant body armor. These laminates comprise UD layers, each constructed by laminating thin layers of high-performance fibers held in place using very low modulus binder resins, with the fibers in each layer oriented parallel to each other. As these materials are used in body armor, it is important to investigate their long-term reliability, particularly...