Low weight and high durability soft body armor composite using topical wax coatings

1. A ballistic resistant composite comprising at least one fibrous substrate having a multilayer coating thereon, wherein said fibrous substrate comprises one or more fibers having a tenacity of about 7 g/denier or more and a tensile modulus of about 150 g/denier or more; said multilayer coating comprising a layer of a polymeric binder material on a surface of said one or more fibers, and a layer of a wax on the polymeric binder material layer.

2. The composite of claim 1 wherein said wax comprises beeswax, Chinese wax, shellac wax, spermaceti wax, wool wax, bayberry wax, candelilla wax, carnauba wax, castor wax, esparto wax, Japan wax, jojoba oil wax, ouricury wax, rice bran wax, soy wax, ceresin wax, montan wax, ozocerite, peat wax, paraffin wax, a microcrystalline wax, a polyethylene wax, polypropylene wax, an alpha-olefin wax, a Fischer-Tropsch wax, a stearamide wax, an esterified amide wax, a saponified amide wax, or combinations thereof.

3. The composite of claim 1 wherein said layer of wax comprises a blend of a wax with a fluorine-containing polymer.

4. The composite of claim 1 wherein the polymeric binder material comprises a polyurethane polymer, a polyether polymer, a polyester polymer, a polycarbonate polymer, a polyacetal polymer, a polyamide polymer, a polybutylene polymer, an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer, an ionomer, a styrene-isoprene copolymer, a styrene-butadiene copolymer, a styrene-ethylene/butylene copolymer, a styrene-ethylene/propylene copolymer, a polymethyl pentene polymer, a hydrogenated styrene-ethylene/butylene copolymer, a maleic anhydride functionalized styrene-ethylene/butylene copolymer, a carboxylic acid functionalized styrene-ethylene/butylene copolymer, an acrylonitrile polymer, an acrylonitrile butadiene styrene copolymer, a polypropylene polymer, a polypropylene copolymer, an epoxy polymer, a novolac polymer, a phenolic polymer, a vinyl ester polymer, a nitrile rubber polymer, a natural rubber polymer, a cellulose acetate butyrate polymer, a polyvinyl butyral polymer, an acrylic polymer, an acrylic copolymer, an acrylic copolymer incorporating non-acrylic monomers or combinations thereof.

5. The composite of claim 1 wherein said fibrous substrate comprises a fabric formed from a plurality of fibers.

6. The composite of claim 5 wherein said fabric comprises a non-woven fabric.

7. The composite of claim 5 wherein said fabric has two surfaces and the wax coats one or both of said fabric surfaces.

8. The composite of claim 1 wherein said wax comprises a low viscosity wax.

9. The composite of claim 1 wherein said wax comprises from about 0.01% to about 5.0% by weight of said composite.

10. The composite of claim 1 wherein said polymeric binder material comprises from about 1% to about 50% by weight of said composite.

11. An article comprising the composite of claim 1 .

12. The article of claim 11 which comprises flexible body armor.

13. A method of forming a ballistic resistant composite, comprising:

i) providing at least one coated fibrous substrate having a surface; wherein said at least one fibrous substrate comprises one or more fibers having a tenacity of about 7 g/denier or more and a tensile modulus of about 150 g/denier or more; the surfaces of each of said fibers being substantially coated with a polymeric binder material; and

ii) applying a wax onto at least a portion of said at least one coated fibrous substrate.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said wax comprises beeswax, Chinese wax, shellac wax, spermaceti wax, wool wax, bayberry wax, candelilla wax, carnauba wax, castor wax, esparto wax, Japan wax, jojoba oil wax, ouricury wax, rice bran wax, soy wax, ceresin wax, montan wax, ozocerite, peat wax, paraffin wax, a microcrystalline wax, a polyethylene wax, polypropylene wax, an alpha-olefin wax, a Fischer-Tropsch wax, a stearamide wax, an esterified amide wax, a saponified amide wax, or combinations thereof.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein said layer of wax comprises a blend of a wax with a fluorine-containing polymer.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein said fibrous substrate comprises a fabric formed from a plurality of fibers.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein said fabric has two surfaces and the wax coats one or both of said fabric surfaces.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein said fabric comprises a non-woven fabric.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein said wax comprises a low viscosity wax.

20. The method of claim 13 further comprising forming an article from said composite.