The term Aramid Fiber Fabric refers to a class of heat-resistant and extremely strong synthetic fibers. These fibers are woven into composite materials for use in aerospace and military applications, ballistic-rated body armor fabric, marine cordage, and in lightweight consumer items such as cell phone cases and tennis rackets. They are also used for high-performance racing car parts, because of their extreme strength and durability. The unique chemical structure of aramids contributes to their exceptional strength and durability.
Aramids are made of long chain molecules that are highly oriented along the length of the fiber. This orientation, in combination with hydrogen bonds between the chains, gives aramids their high tensile strength. It also helps them resist thermal degradation, ensuring that they will retain their strength even after prolonged exposure to high temperatures.
In addition to their high tensile strength, aramids are highly resistant to wear and tear. Their strength is such that a single fiber can be used to support a load up to 200,000 pounds. In contrast, other common fibers such as kevlar can only withstand about 1/10 that amount of weight.
The tensile strength of aramids makes them very difficult to break. This quality, combined with their ability to withstand thermal degradation and chemical attacks, make them ideal for use in protective clothing, aircraft, automobiles, and other applications that require high-performance materials.
Another advantage of aramids is their flame resistance. While other materials such as glass or fiberglass can burn, aramids do not melt and decompose very slowly at elevated temperature. This property has helped to save the lives of many people, including firefighters, pilots, and race car drivers.
Aramid fibers are also able to withstand significant shocks and impact, which has led to their use in a wide variety of applications, from ballistic-rated body armor to bulletproof vests and aircraft wing skins. In addition to their exceptional strength, aramids are also light and flexible, making them an excellent choice for a wide range of applications.
While aramids are an extremely useful class of material, they are not without their drawbacks. For example, they are very sensitive to UV radiation (up to 75% loss of strength) and they absorb a substantial amount of moisture (up to 7%). In addition, they have poor compressive properties and are very difficult to dye. For these reasons, aramids are generally woven into composites or coated with other materials for additional performance characteristics.