Ballistic-resistant article and process for making the same

Abstract

A bullet proof vest which is resistant to penetration by a 0.22 caliber projectile and includes a fabric or clothing made of polybenzoxazole polymer fibers. The vest is lighter, more comfortable to wear and exhibits better ballistic-resistant properties than traditional ballistic-resistant vests of equal weight.

1 - 7 . (canceled)  
   
   
       8 . A bullet proof vest which is resistant to penetration by a 0.22 caliber projectile, comprising a fabric or clothing comprising an untwisted, continuous filament-based yarn of no more than 500 denier of polybenzoxazole polymer fibers.  
   
   
       9 . The vest of  claim 8  wherein the polybenzoxazole polymer contains a plurality of repeating units which are predominantly AB-mer units represented by the Formula:  
     
       
         
         
             
             
         
       
       wherein:  
       each Ar represents an aromatic group;  
       each Z is an oxygen atom; and  
       the nitrogen atom and the Z moiety in each azole ring are bonded to adjacent carbon atoms in the aromatic group, such that a five-membered azole ring fused with the aromatic group is formed.  
     
   
   
       10 . The vest of  claim 9  wherein each Ar in the AB-mer units is a 1,3,4-phenylene moiety or an analog thereof.  
   
   
       11 . The vest of  claim 9  wherein each AB-mer unit is independently represented by one of the Formulas selected from:  
     
       
         
         
             
             
         
       
     
   
   
       12 . The vest of  claim 8  wherein the polybenzoxazole polymer contains a plurality of mer units that are predominantly AA/BB-mer units represented by the Formula:  
     
       
         
         
             
             
         
       
       wherein:  
       each Ar1 represents an aromatic group;  
       each Z is an oxygen atom;  
       each DM is independently a bond or a divalent organic moiety that does not interfere with the synthesis, fabrication or use of the polymer;  
       the nitrogen atom and the Z moiety in each azole ring are bonded to adjacent carbon atoms in the aromatic group, such that a five-membered azole ring fused with the aromatic group is formed; and  
       the azole rings in AA/BB-mer units may be in cis- or trans- position with respect to each other.  
     
   
   
       13 . The vest of  claim 12  wherein each DM in the AA/BB-mer units is an aromatic group, and each aromatic group in the AA/BB-mer units contains no more than about 12 carbon atoms.  
   
   
       14 . The vest of  claim 12  wherein each AA/BB-mer units is independently represented by one of the formulas selected from:  
     
       
         
         
             
             
         
       
     
   
   
       15 . The vest of  claim 8  comprising polybenzoxazole fibers woven with a second fiber.  
   
   
       16 . The vest of  claim 15  wherein the second fiber is cotton, polyester, nylon or rayon.  
   
   
       17 . The vest of  claim 8  in the form of a laminate comprising a plurality of plies of polybenzoxazole fabric and a polymeric matrix.  
   
   
       18 . The vest of  claim 17  wherein the polymeric matrix is a thermoplastic polymer, a thermosetting polymer or an elastomeric polymer.  
   
   
       19 . The article of  claim 8  in the form of a consolidated fiber network.