The main research objective of this study was to investigate the effect of the impregnation of Twaron® fabric with various shear thickening fluids (STFs) on the stab resistance at quasi-static conditions—being the main parameter characterizing the future application of the impregnated textiles in the scope of the new functionality of the elaborated protection of the multi-layer system. It was found that the STF/Twaron® fabric composites required significantly higher loading than the untreated fabric to achieve spike penetration. In the composite fabric tests, the spike did not fully puncture the material.

The properties of shear thickening fluid (STF), based on polypropylene glycol and amorphous silica, modified by the addition of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), were studied. The STF's viscosity increases abruptly during impact tests. The addition of a small amount of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) to the STF, leads to an increase of the maximal viscosity from 2128 to 12,213 Pa•s. To show the differences between various compositions, the microstructures of fluids were observed by scanning electron microscopy. A pronounced influence of the CNTs on the ability of impact force absorption was noticed. The protective structure containing 55 and 0.25 vol% of fumed silica and CNTs, respectively, is able to absorb up to 74% of impact force.

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