Defence-grade protective gear requires a careful selection of materials that offer a balance between weight, mechanical strength, flexibility, corrosion resistance, and thermal stability. The effectiveness of these materials is judged not just by their resistance to penetration or impact, but also by their durability in harsh environments, their cost-effectiveness, and comfort for the wearer. Broadly, the materials fall into categories like ceramics, aramid fibres, carbon-based composites, UHMWPE, and emerging nanostructured materials
Ceramics such as alumina, silicon carbide, and boron carbide are valued for their hardness and high thermal stability, often used with backing materials like aramid or UHMWPE. These exhibit excellent compressive strength and corrosion resistance, making them suitable for body armor and ballistic equipment. Aramid fibers and UHMWPE are extremely lightweight and flexible, providing high impact absorption, though they show lower performance under compression or high heat. Carbon-based composites offer a strong strength-to-weight ratio and resistance in extreme conditions, but may suffer from brittleness depending on the resin system. Each material finds relevance in different applications like bulletproof vests, helmets, vehicle armor, and advanced tactical gear
