Traumatic Ballistic Properties of SEBS Gel

doi:10.12382/bgxb.2023.0818

Abstract

Abstract:

The gel made of styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene (SEBS) block copolymer and white oil has similar properties to ballistic gelatin. Compared with ballistic gelatin, it has good temperature stability, excellent transparency, and aging resistance. The mechanical properties are comprehensively measured to investigate the feasibility of using SEBS gel as a substitute for ballistic gelatin in trauma ballistic test. First, the quasi-static and dynamic mechanical properties of SEBS gels with four different mass fractions (15%, 20%, 25%, and 30%) are tested using a universal material testing machine and an improved Hopkinson pressure bar to study the impact of copolymer content on the mechanical properties of the gel. The mechanical properties of SEBS gel are compared with those of 10% and 20% ballistic gelatins to determine the mass fraction that is most similar to the mechanical properties of ballistic gelatin. Then, SEBS gels with three different mass fractions (15%, 20%, and 25%) are penetratedusing 5.8mm rifle bullets, and the moving postureof bullet and the temporal cavity evolution of a target are recorded by high-speed photography. The experimental results of SEBS gel are compared with those of the ballistic gelatin with 10% mass fraction. The test results show that the stress-strain curve of 10% ballistic gelatin is between those of 15% and 20% SEBS gels, and the stress-strain curve of 20% ballistic gelatin is between those of 20% and 25% SEBS gels under quasi-static compression. The mechanical properties of 20% and 30% SEBS gels are similar to those of 10% and 20% ballistic gelatins, respectively, at high strain rates. The maximum cavity diameter of 15% SEBS gel is closest to that of the 10% ballistic gelatin, but the cavity expansion and contraction rates of SEBS gel are higher than those of ballistic gelatin. This study provides data support for the replacement of ballistic gelatin with SEBS gel as a new soft tissue substitute.

Key words: ballistic, thermoplastic elastomer, soft tissue substitute, split Hopkinson pressure bar, ballistic gelatin, mechanical property

CLC Number:

TJ301
O348

XU Haoran, WEN Yaoke, DONG Fangdong, QIN Bin, SHEN Luyu. Traumatic Ballistic Properties of SEBS Gel[J]. Acta Armamentarii, 2024, 45(11): 4071-4080.

Figures/Tables 18

Fig.1 Quasi-static compressed sample(Left: sample diameter;Right: sample thickness)

Fig.2 Dynamic compressed sample

Fig.3 Quasi-static compression test

Fig.4 Stress-strain curves of SEBS gel and ballistic gelatin

Table 1 The elastic modulus of four mass fractions of SEBS gel

质量分数/%	15	20	25	30
弹性模量/kPa	51.89	99.82	152.439	224.66

Table 2 The elastic modulus of some internal organs

组织	心脏	肝脏	胃	肠
弹性模量/kPa	78.87	119.67	177.67	261.96

Fig.5 Relationship between elastic modulus and mass fraction of SEBS gel

Fig.6 Improved SHPB testing device

Fig.7 SHPB test original waveform of SEBS specimen with 20% mass fraction

Fig.8 Stress curves before and after inertia effect correction

Fig.9 Engineering stress-strain curves of SEBS gel with four mass fractions and ballistic gelatin with two mass fractions obtained at the strain rate ranged from 2800 to 5500s-1

Fig.10 Engineering stress-strain curves of SEBS gel and ballistic gelatin at similar strain rates

Fig.11 SEBS gel and 10% ballistic gelatin targets

Fig.12 Schematic diagram of test principle and equipment layout

Table 3 Speeds of bullet penetrating into the targets

靶标	15% SEBS	20% SEBS	25% SEBS	10%明胶
速度/(m·s^-1)	884	880	882	864

Table 4 Instantaneous cavities of SEBS gel and ballistic gelatin at typical time

Fig.13 emporary cavity diameter-time curves of SEBS gel and ballistic gelatin

Fig.14 Penetration depth-time curves of SEBS gel and ballistic gelatin

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