Elastomeric armoring protects against erosion, corrosion, cavitation and wear. Its composition is based on polyurethane and the rubber-like properties make the material extremely resistant to dynamic or aggressive influences. These include vibrations, friction, abrasion and impacts. The thermoplastic elastomers are also highly resistant to the effects of heat and have good dielectric strength.
The layers of elastomeric armor can be applied to practically all solid surfaces. This includes metallic, non-metallic and even rubber surfaces. This results in a wide range of different applications from food transporters to filling equipment, turbine wheels, rollers and seals. More recently, elastomers have also been used as ballistic protection in multi-layered armor. They benefit from their ability to convert kinetic energy into heat and their viscoelastic properties.
In special military vehicle construction, for example, it is conceivable to build elastomeric armor by processing a layer of elastomers between an outer layer of high-strength steel and an inner layer of ductile steel. The front plate serves to destroy the impacting projectile, reduce its kinetic energy and distribute it over a larger area. The thermoplastic elastomers further dampen the kinetic energy so that the ductile back plate can absorb the forces and convert the kinetic energy into heat and deformation energy. The interaction of the three layers means that small-caliber projectiles can be reliably intercepted. The advantage over classic steel armor is the considerably lower weight with a similar and in some cases more efficient protective effect.
