Researchers from the Department of Textile Engineering, MS University, Faculty of Technology and Engineering, have developed stab/slash resistance fabrics that not only protect their bodies but are also soft and comfortable to wear.
Currently available body armor is quite heavy, expensive and often inconvenient for security personnel.
“Currently available body armors are made of complex polymers or Kevlar (para-aramid). We have combined Kevlar with glass fabric to make it lighter and more flexible,” said Dr Hireni Mankodi, associate professor, who developed the new fabric with his team of students – Kushik Velari and Aparna Nerurkar.
“This fabric is also fire resistant, which makes it safer for security personnel if they are being hurled at them by violent mobs during riots with acid bottles or petrol bombs,” she said.
Researchers using blended fabrics can reduce the price of stab-proof fabrics by 40-45%. “The design of this stab-proof fabric will be able to reduce the cost. If this structure is employed instead of a full-fledged para-military structure it will prove to be very commercially important,” she said.
Citing an example, she said that if the current body armor is priced between Rs 8,000 and Rs 9,000 per piece, the commercially developed body armor with new fabric would cost around Rs 5,000.
Along with being economical, the body armor will also be lightweight. “The current body armor weighs between 4.5 kg to 6.5 kg, while the full front and back body armor developed using this fabric ranges from 3 kg to 3.5 kg,” he said.
Composite fabric has been tested for its performance against stab/slash. “We have also developed a tool to measure stab resistance to measure the impact force on samples in real time. This device is under the patent process,” she said.
“Even at striking energy levels ranging from 20 Joules (J) to 40 J, no cuts were observed in the fabrics during stabbing. The instrument itself can measure an impact of up to 200 kg,” she said.
Researchers are keen to design blended fabrics to provide three levels of protection. The nation’s major R&D organizations such as the Defense Research and Development Organization typically formulate the NIJ standard, which is the only nationally accepted standard for body armor worn by law enforcement personnel.
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