Innovative 3D Commingled Weaving and Smart Material Selection for Ballistic Thermoplastic Composites

High-performance thermoplastic composites were developed using Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM)-based smart material selection to identify optimal thermoplastics for ballistic applications. To enhance matrix impregnation, a novel commingled 3D weaving technique was devised, enabling simultaneous mixing of reinforcement and thermoplastic materials during preform fabrication. This approach eliminates the need for intimate mixing at spinning level, reducing risk of damaging reinforcement fibers during the melting of thermoplastics in composites. Nylon-6 and Polypropylene were selected through this smart selection process and combined with Kevlar high-performance fibers for fabrication. The Kevlar/Polypropylene preform demonstrated superior air permeability, ensuring uniform resin flow during composite manufacturing due to its open structure. In contrast, the Kevlar/Nylon preform exhibited better slow penetration resistance, attributed to its compact structure and higher thread density. Charpy impact testing revealed that Kevlar/Polypropylene and Kevlar/Nylon composites achieved 204% and 75% increase in impact strength, respectively, compared to conventional Kevlar/Polyester composites. The Kevlar/Polypropylene composite excelled in tensile and impact strength, driven by stronger interfacial bonding, extended curing time, and ductility of polypropylene, making it promising for ballistic applications.