Ceramic is one of the hardest materials, which is why ceramic materials are used in body armor. Ceramics are so rigid that they reduce the kinetic mass and penetrating power of the projectile. Ceramics are also very brittle, which means that ceramic armor plates often crack when hit. But the brittleness of ceramics is also affected by geometry, and certain shapes and components are more durable than others. On January 22, 2019, Antarctic Bear learned from foreign media that materials scientists at the U.S. Army Research Laboratory were inspired by 3D printed ceramic armors with abalone shells.
Joshua Pelz, an ACerS member and PhD candidate in materials science and engineering at the University of California, San Diego, designed a custom auger-based extruder for studying 3D printed antennas with gradients, but his project when he started using ceramic compounds A big shift has taken place: "I started working on this project to create a next-generation antenna with a hierarchical structure, then switched to using armored ceramic materials such as boron carbide and silicon carbide, and tried to produce parts with gradients or internal structures, which It cannot be produced by traditional ceramic molding technology. "
Pelz improved the Lulzbot TAZ 3D printer for his ceramic printing. The auger is connected to a fan speed controller, allowing two different slurries to be mixed in any ratio. The Army is clearly enthusiastic about this research because ceramic armor has greatly reduced casualties since its introduction.
By simulating the armor after the design of the abalone shell, the armor will theoretically be more durable and more comfortable to wear as it will more naturally wrap around the contours of the human body. Looking forward to seeing 3D printed armor prototypes soon.