Chemical and Thermal Analysis of Flax, Aramid, and Aluminum for HDPE Composites in Protective Helmets
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.62638/ZasMat1478Abstract
An increasing interest in the use of sustainable materials as reinforcements in polymer composites is observed, including for ballistic helmets used by the military forces. Typical examples are natural lignocellulosic fibers (NLFs), applied as reinforcement of lightweight, economical, and environmentally friendly composites compared to synthetic fibers such as glass, carbon, and aramid. Their physical and mechanical properties vary according to the origin and characteristics of the fibers, influencing their applications. Hybridization enhances the properties of composites, leading to the investigation of various reinforcement materials. The present study characterizes aluminum, as well as fabrics of flax, a NLF, and aramid, combined with high-density polyethylene (HDPE), as the composite matrix using fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), x-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) for possible application as hybrid composites. In the FTIR analysis, the materials presented functional groups compatible with those described in the literature. Additionally, aramid and HDPE showed higher crystallinity values of approximately 69% and 83%, respectively. From TGA and DSC results, it was possible to determine the individual working temperature of the materials, which was about 200 °C, and consider it for the possible composites. These findings are compatible with the requirements for ballistic helmets associated with radiological protections.
Keywords:
Characterization, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, X-Ray Diffractogram, Thermogravimetric Analysis, Differential Scanning CalorimetryReferences
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