How effective are body armor and bulletproof helmets at protecting us from bullets and explosives?

Body armor and bulletproof helmets are made of Kevlar, a high-strength synthetic fiber that is five times stronger than steel. However, Kevlar’s protective properties weaken at high temperatures, and it has limited protection against rifle bullets and hard impacts.

 

Watching war movies made me question this. How well can bulletproof vests and helmets protect us on the battlefield when bullets are flying at high speeds? What are bulletproof vests and bulletproof helmets made of? Can they really keep us safe? These are the questions that inspired this blog post.
The importance of body armor in warfare cannot be overemphasized. In past battles, soldiers wore heavy armor made of iron or steel, but modern warfare uses high-velocity weapons like firearms, so body armor needs to be lighter and stronger. With speed being the key to survival on the modern battlefield, it is essential that body armor is not only protective, but also lightweight to keep the wearer as mobile as possible. So what are the materials used in today’s bulletproof vests and helmets made of, and how effective are they at protecting us?
Let’s take a look at the materials that make up body armor and ballistic helmets. The fibers that make up body armor are a high-strength synthetic fiber called Kevlar, which was developed by Stephanie Kwolek, a chemist working for DuPont in the United States, in anticipation of gasoline shortages. In 1964, her team discovered the unique polymer while researching fibers that could be used to make lighter and stronger tires. The result was the introduction of modern-day Kevlar in 1971.
Kevlar is synthesized by the following process In the condensation reaction of 1,4-phenylenediamine and terephthaloyl chloride, hydrochloric acid escapes and forms a polymeric substance. The resulting substance is a liquid crystalline polymer that is extremely strong and flexible. The fiber has since been widely used in a variety of industries, not just body armor. In particular, Kevlar is five times stronger than steel, and its robustness has made it an essential material not only in the military, but also in aerospace, automotive, sports, and many other fields.
Kevlar’s strong properties are due to its molecular structure. Kevlar fibers have a high tensile strength and excellent heat resistance, which allows them to effectively absorb and disperse external impacts. In particular, when a high-velocity projectile such as a bullet strikes, the impact energy is dispersed between the fibers, preventing penetration, which is why Kevlar plays such an important role in protecting the wearer from gunfire. But even this strong material has its limits. Its performance is weakened at high temperatures, and its strength slowly decreases over time.
However, despite being such an important piece of protective equipment, there are times when its perfection is questioned in the real world. Wearing body armor doesn’t guarantee that you’re safe from all kinds of threats. For example, body armor made of Kevlar may be effective against handgun bullets, but it may be limited against more powerful rifle rounds or highway debris. For this reason, there has been a lot of recent development of new materials that can provide more protection. Innovative new materials such as carbon fiber, ceramic plates, and graphene are being incorporated into body armor, creating a new generation of body armor that offers even higher levels of protection.
Technological advances in body armor aren’t just useful on the battlefield. It also plays an important role in protecting the lives of police officers in shootouts with criminals, or ensuring the safety of special operators in dangerous situations. In recent years, body armor has also found its way into everyday life. The growing threat of terrorism has led to the introduction of bulletproof bags, bulletproof glass, and more, all of which utilize high-performance ballistic materials like Kevlar.
Kevlar is also widely used outside of body armor. As mentioned earlier, it’s lightweight yet five times stronger than steel, so it’s widely used to reinforce cables in suspension bridges, bombproof airplane baggage containers, make safe and strong car tires, and create durable sails, drum heads, and other products that require high durability. Kevlar’s high fire resistance and insulating properties also make it a popular choice for safety casings for electronic equipment and fireproof building materials. As you can see, Kevlar is not only used in military equipment, but also plays an important role in our daily lives.
The development of this material is the result of a continuous effort to understand how humans can protect themselves and improve their quality of life. The advancement of ballistic materials will continue in the future, leading to safer and more efficient protective equipment.