JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #35 - September 2007 - 36

FEATURE “Marine” Raw materials Composite ballistic solution protects Korean navy vessels To achieve the required flame retardancy on Korean marine vessels, a ballistic protection solution based on the addition of an aluminium and glass-epoxy resin layer to Dyneema® HB25 panels was developed. DSM has filed a patent application for it. MR IVO OERLEMANS MARKETING MANAGER VEHICLE PROTECTION DSM DYNEEMA, More information Dyneema® UD is a unique lightweight composite material providing superior anti-ballistic protection, for both personal and vehicle protection. All the fibres are laid parallel, in the same plane, rather than being woven together. The material is made of several layers of Dyneema® fibres, with the direction of the fibres in each layer at 90° to that of the adjacent layers. The unidirectional configuration of the fibres allows the energy transferred from the impact of a bullet or other threat to be distributed along the fibres much faster and more efficiently than in conventional woven fabrics. This is because the absorption power of the yarn in woven fabrics is lost at the crossover points, as these points reflect rather than absorb the shockwaves of the impact. to Dyneema® HB25, an ultra-strong composite material, now means that all the strength and low-weight benefits of this material can be applied to marine and vehicle armouring applications with the requisite flame-retardant performance– a key development that has made this material the choice of the South Korean Navy for boat armour panels. The panels manufactured by Samyang will help protect LSF-II hovercraft and PKX fast patrol boats from ballistic impact and fire, while significantly reducing overall weight. An armour made with Dyneema® HB25 is less than half the weight of traditional steel, helping to improve the ships’ manoeuvrability, increase the amount of cargo that can be transported, and boost fuel economy. Moreover, the boats perform excellently in severe sea and weather conditions without compromising structural shape or integrity. The material also withstands the impact of UV light and salt water and resists algae growth, making it ideal for marine applications. More information: www.dsm.com T his unique combination of flame-retardant properties, excellent ballistic protection and durability in demanding environments at the lowest possible weight is now available for marine and vehicle applications worldwide. The new solution was developed in close co-operation with Samyang Comtech Co., Ltd., (Samyang), a manufacturer of boat armour panels, for the South Korean Navy. The weight of building materials is a critical factor in the design of these craft, and therefore the ballistic protection materials must be as light as possible, while still delivering the high protection performance required. Dyneema® HB25 is the lightest ballistic protection material available and provides excellent bullet resistance. The addition of flame-retardant properties makes it the ideal material for this application. Strong and lightweight So far, boats have had to use either steel, glass or ceramic armouring, which meant lower ballistic protection and higher weight. Adding ASTM 1354-compliant flame retardancy PKX fast patrol boat JEC Composites Magazine /No35 September 2007

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JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #35 - September 2007

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #35 - September 2007