Abstract: A tile to be used in an arrangement of identical tiles of an armor, the tile including an obverse face, a reverse face opposite the obverse face, and an endless edge between the obverse face and the reverse face, the endless edge being defined by a plurality of peripheral boundaries connected by curved sections, wherein the obverse face includes a first region and a second region each configured to be overlapped by a corresponding region of a reverse face of another tile, and a strike face region that is not overlapped by another tile, the first region and the second region being adjacent to the non-overlapped strike face region, the strike face region including a Y-shaped raised portion and no other raised portion or recessed portion, and the reverse face including a Y-shaped depression at a location corresponding to the location of the Y-shaped raised portion, and no other depression or raised portion.

Abstract: An armor component that includes a ballistic tile made of, for example, boron carbide or silicon carbide, a plurality of wraps made of ballistic fibers such as carbon fiber, and a metal plate, for example, a steel plate, the metal plate being positioned behind the reverse side of the tile and the wraps being wrapped around the tile and the metal plate.

Abstract: A ballistic tile for use in an imbricated pattern of like ballistic tiles to achieve coverage of a protected area by the imbricated pattern, while having rounded corners to limit the potential for spalling on ballistic impact. The ballistic tile may include a strike face that is generally undulating to laterally deflect at least a portion of the impact force, and to induce turning of the ballistic projectile on impact to further distribute the impact force. The ballistic tile may also include one or more features on an obverse and reverse side thereof that, when arranged in an imbricated pattern, limit lateral motion of the tiles on ballistic impact, and/or laterally transmit the energy of the projectile for deflection and absorption thereof.

Abstract: An armor component that includes a ballistic tile made of, for example, boron carbide or silicon carbide, a plurality of wraps made of ballistic fibers such as carbon fiber, and a metal plate, for example, a steel plate, the metal plate being positioned behind the reverse side of the tile and the wraps being wrapped around the tile and the metal plate.

Abstract: A method of making an armor component that includes wrapping a ceramic tile with a plurality of wrappers that are impregnated with a curable polymer, and forcing the curable polymer into microscopic surface cavities of the ceramic tile by isostatically pressing the wrapped ceramic tile while curing the curable polymer to obtain an armor component that includes the ceramic tile integrated with the wrappers.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for fabricating a solid article from a boron carbide powder comprising boron carbide particles that are coated with a titanium compound. Further disclosed herein are the unique advantages of the combined use of titanium and graphite additives in the form of water soluble species to improve intimacy of mixing in the green state. The carbon facilitates sintering, whose concentration is then attenuated in the process of forming very hard, finely dispersed Ti B2 phases. The further recognition of the merits of a narrow particle size distribution B4C powder and the use of sintering soak temperatures at the threshold of close porosity which achieve post-HIPed microstructures with average grain sizes approaching the original median particle size. The combination of interdependent factors has led to B4C-based articles of higher hardness than previously reported.

Abstract: A method of making an armor component that includes wrapping a ceramic tile with a plurality of wrappers that are impregnated with a curable polymer, and isostatically pressing the wrapped ceramic tile while curing the curable polymer to obtain an armor component that includes the ceramic tile integrated with the wrappers.

Abstract: A process for the fabrication of a SiC-based article that includes preparing an aqueous suspension with SiC powder, a titanium source, a carbon source and boron carbide powder, spray drying the mixture to obtain a powder, preparing a green body from the powder, applying heat treatment to the green body in a pyrolysis/thermolysis step, pressureless sintering the green body, optimally followed by HIPing for further densification.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for the synthesis of silicon carbide (SiC) bodies having a relative density of 99% or higher and a SiC body synthesized according to the method.

Abstract: A monolithic, unitary, seamless and physically continuous ceramic armor plate having first regions of one mechanical property and one chemical composition and one microstructural composition isolated from one another by a network of second regions of another mechanical property different from the one mechanical property and another chemical composition different from the one chemical composition and another microstructural composition different from the one microstructural composition, the one mechanical property and the another mechanical property being the propensity to crack.

Abstract: A ballistic tile for use in an imbricated pattern of like ballistic tiles to achieve coverage of a protected area by the imbricated pattern, while having rounded corners to limit the potential for spalling on ballistic impact. The ballistic tile may include a strike face that is generally undulating to laterally deflect at least a portion of the impact force, and to induce turning of the ballistic projectile on impact to further distribute the impact force. The ballistic tile may also include one or more features on an obverse and reverse side thereof that, when arranged in an imbricated pattern, limit lateral motion of the tiles on ballistic impact, and/or laterally transmit the energy of the projectile for deflection and absorption thereof.