The Incorporation of Phase Change Material into Soft Armour Inserts: Achieving a Level of Cooling without Compromising Ballistic Protection

Abstract

In this paper we present preliminary results of ballistic testing and thermal measurement of a functional structure consisting of phase change material (PCM) and soft armour layers made of Kevlar. The purpose of this study is to explore the feasibility of combining thermal management with ballistic protection in a single system such that the thermal stress of dismounted combat personnel may be mitigated to an extent while wearing their body armour in hot and humid environments. Under such conditions the breathability of smart textiles will offer little to no benefit. In our study each Kevlar sheet is coated with PCM from Microtek Laboratories Inc. and bonded with normal PVA wood glue. Twenty coated layers were prepared for ballistic testing and compared with twenty pure Kevlar layers as reference. The cooling power of the soft armour insert (SAI) with PCM was measured on a heated sweating manikin. The proof of concept results show that the SAI with PCM only produced a mild cooling effect, which may lower skin temperature and provide a mild cooling sensation for a body region that would otherwise allow limited heat loss, due to the impermeability of the SAI.