Advanced ceramics finds extensive applications in the armor manufacturing industry. There are many variations of advanced ceramics and some of them are in high demand in the armor manufacturing sector. They are as follows:
- Alumina
- Boron carbide
- Silicon carbide
Among these materials, alumina is the most popular choice among armor manufacturing companies, especially the ones that are associated with the fabrication and supply of lightweight body armor worn by soldiers and security personnel.
In the opinion of a leading company associated with the fabrication of technical glass, the reason why alumina is the most preferred form of advanced ceramics in the armor manufacturing sector is simple – alumina has the following useful properties:
- Impressive hardness
- Ability to refract incoming projectiles, in this case, bullets
- Modulus of elasticity or in simple words, the ability to remain intact even after being hit by a bullet
- It is cheap!
With that being stated, let us take a closer look into the many ways advanced ceramics are used in the armor manufacturing sector:
It is used in the manufacturing of lightweight body armor for soldiers/security personnel
Advanced ceramics are used to manufacture trauma plates or simply plates made out of advanced ceramics that are then inserted in lightweight ballistic (bullet-proof) vests. These plates are not only efficient when it comes to keeping the wearer from catching a bullet but also from sustaining an injury in case of melee/hand-to-hand combat situations.
The unique ability of advanced ceramics when used as trauma plates is that they can push out the bullet or the melee weapon in the same force and speed the same has pushed into the vest. This leaves the armor plate intact and the wearer safe.
It is used to make vehicles safe
Advanced ceramics are also used to make armor plates that are then installed into the body panels of military vehicles, cars of VIPs and armored trucks that are often used to transport high-value targets or cargo.
Advanced ceramics are instrumental to make aircrafts safe
Advanced ceramics also find extensive applications in companies that are associated with the fabrication of armor plates to secure the outer shell of the aircraft.
As mentioned earlier, advanced ceramics comes with the following properties:
- Resistance to high temperatures
- Ability to retain structural integrity in high vibration conditions
- Ability to remain operational even in conditions with excessive mechanical stress
All of these properties advanced ceramics the ideal candidate to make aircraft safe.
It is used to protect laser guidance systems used in frontlines
Laser guidance systems that are often used in the frontlines by soldiers need added protection. Here, transparent ceramics are used so that the same does not obstruct the laser transmission in any way.
After reading the above sections, it is imperative that the situation has been made safe for the men and women in uniforms as well as the people who are actively engaged in protecting the elite all thanks to technical ceramics. Their impressive properties such as the ability to remain intact after being hit with a bullet, low weight and ability to remain operational even at high temperatures posed as a boon for the armor manufacturing sector.
