Ballistic materials incorporating hydroentangled nonwovens

Abstract

A ballistic material is made from spunlace nonwoven fibers mechanically entangled into a woven ballistic fabric. The spunlace nonwoven may comprise low denier fibers providing for a highly dense ballistic product.

1 . A ballistic material, comprising:
 a first woven ballistic fabric having a fiber denier in a range of 50 d to 5000 d; and   a spunlace nonwoven fiber component having a fiber denier in a range of about 0.5 d to about 2.5 d and a density of about 10 g/m 2  to about 200 g/m 2 ; wherein   the spunlace nonwoven fiber component is needlepunched with the first woven ballistic fabric to form the ballistic material;   wherein the first woven ballistic fabric consists essentially of ballistic grade polyamide fibers, para-aramid fibers, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fibers, multi-component fibers, or co-polymer fibers; and   wherein the spunlace nonwoven fiber component consists essentially of ballistic grade polyamide fibers, para-aramid fibers, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fibers, polypropylene fibers, polyester fibers, multi-component fibers, or co-polymer fibers.   
     
     
         2 . The ballistic material according to  claim 1 , wherein the spunlace nonwoven fiber component consists essentially of ballistic grade para-aramid fibers, polyester fibers, multi-component fibers, or co-polymer fibers. 
     
     
         3 . The ballistic material according to  claim 1 , wherein the first woven ballistic fabric comprises a plurality of woven ballistic fabric layers. 
     
     
         4 . The ballistic material according to  claim 1 , wherein the spunlace nonwoven fiber component comprises fibers having a fiber denier in a range of about 0.5 d to about 2.0 d. 
     
     
         5 . The ballistic material according to  claim 1 , wherein the spunlace nonwoven fiber component comprises fibers having a water repellent coating. 
     
     
         6 . The ballistic material according to  claim 1 , wherein the ballistic material has an areal weight in a range of 0.1 to about 2.0 pounds per square foot. 
     
     
         7 . The ballistic material according to  claim 1 , wherein the ballistic material has a V50 in a range of about 750 to about 3000 feet per second. 
     
     
         8 . The ballistic material according to  claim 1 , wherein the ballistic material has an areal weight in a range of 0.1 to about 2.0 pounds per square foot and a V50 in a range of about 750 to about 3000 feet per second. 
     
     
         9 . The ballistic material according to  claim 1 , wherein the spunlace nonwoven fiber component constitutes about 0.1 to about 10% by weight of the ballistic material. 
     
     
         10 . A finished ballistic product, comprising one or more of the ballistic material according to  claim 1  stitched together. 
     
     
         11 . A ballistic material, comprising:
 a first woven ballistic fabric having a fiber denier in a range of 50 d to 5000 d; and   a hydroentangled nonwoven fiber component having a fiber denier in a range of about 0.5 d to about 2.5 d and a density of about 10 g/m 2  to about 200 g/m 2 ;   wherein the first woven ballistic fabric consists essentially of ballistic grade polyamide fibers, para-aramid fibers, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fibers, multi-component fibers, or co-polymer fibers;   wherein the hydroentangled nonwoven fiber component is needlepunched with the first woven ballistic fabric to form the ballistic material,   wherein the hydroentangled nonwoven fiber component constitutes about 0.1% to about 10% by weight of the ballistic material, and   wherein the ballistic material has an areal weight in a range of 0.1 to about 2.0 pounds per square foot and a V50 in a range of about 750 to about 3000 feet per second.   
     
     
         12 . The ballistic material according to  claim 11 , wherein the hydroentangled nonwoven fiber component comprises ballistic grade fibers selected from the group consisting of polyamide fibers, para-aramid fibers, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fibers, polypropylene fibers, polyester fibers, poly(phenylene-2,6-benzobisoxazole) fibers, graphene, spider silk, carbon nano-tubes, multi-component fibers, and co-polymer fibers. 
     
     
         13 . The ballistic material according to  claim 11 , wherein the hydroentangled nonwoven fiber component consists essentially of ballistic grade para-aramid fibers, polyester fibers, multi-component fibers, or co-polymer fibers. 
     
     
         14 . The ballistic material according to  claim 11 , wherein the first woven ballistic fabric comprises a plurality of woven ballistic fabric layers. 
     
     
         15 . The ballistic material according to  claim 11 , wherein the hydroentangled nonwoven fiber component comprises fibers having a fiber denier in a range of about 0.5 d to about 2.0 d. 
     
     
         16 . The ballistic material according to  claim 11 , wherein the hydroentangled nonwoven fiber component comprises fibers having a water repellent coating. 
     
     
         17 . A finished ballistic product, comprising one or more of the ballistic material according to  claim 11  stitched together.