Cellular textile composites with non-woven fabric reinforcement

Grid-domed cellular textile composites with non-woven fabric reinforcement are designed for obtaining high-energy absorption capacities under impact conditions. This cellular composite is fabricated by compression molding commercially available bulk form non-woven polyester fabric and polypropylene matrix. The mechanical properties of the non-woven composites were studied. It was found that the composites exhibit high specific energy absorption capacity and retain the same level during three repeated impacts. By varying the fiber volume fraction, different modes or deformation were observed, which affect the energy absorption capacity. This can be attributed to the material properties of non-woven composite samples such as tensile and shear properties. The major deformation mode of this flat-topped cellular sample was identified as the internal convolution of the conical cell wall during plastic collapse. The theoretical predictions on the energy-absorption capacity for pure material or non-woven reinforced composite during the large deformation process are all in good agreement with the experimental results.