Synthesis and Stab Resistance of Shear Thickening Fluid (STF) Impregnated Glass Fabric Composites

Abstract

A shear thickening fluid (STF) was prepared successfully and its rheological behavior was investigated. Glass fabrics were soaked in STF/ethanol solution to prepare STF-glass fab-ric composites. The morphologies of the STF-glass fabric composites were observed by SEM. Quasi-static stab-resistant tests were carried out on both the neat glass fabrics and STF-glass fabric composites using a knife based on the areal density. The corresponding puncture and strengthen mechanisms were also investigated. Key words: shear thickening fluid, rheological property, glass fabrics, composites, impact behavior. ume ratio of ethanol:STF. The glass fabrics were then soaked in the ethanol/ STF mixtures for 2 minutes, squeezed to remove excess fluid and dried at 65 °C for 2 h. The glass fabrics were of plain woven construction of 40 × 30 yarns per