The influence of graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) on the semi-blunt puncture behavior of woven fabrics impregnated with shear thickening fluid (STF)

Fabrics are widely applied in various fields, such as body armor, aerospace industry and military equipment. This paper reports the semi-blunt puncture behavior of fabrics impregnated with a shear thickening fluid (STF), which is a dispersion system of nano silica/polyethylene glycol (SiO2/PEG). The rheological properties and microstructure of the STF were tested to evaluate the influence of SiO2 particle size and additives (graphene nanoplatelets) on the puncture behavior of the final fabrics. The surface characteristics of neat and STF-treated fabrics were separately measured by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), which helps study the damage morphology and mechanism of the fabric. The surface characteristics of the silica nanoparticles and additives were also measured by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results demonstrated that the puncture behavior of the woven fabric was significantly enhanced due to the presence of STF. Moreover, the presence of additive GNPs induced a relatively lower shear thickening phenomenon, while a significant enhancement in the semi-blunt puncture behavior of the woven fabric was observed.