Enhancing Optical Transmission of Multilayer Composites with Interfacial Nanostructures
Abstract
Transparent armor that mitigates blast and high-speed projectile is critical for personnel protection, and can be used to reinforce windows in buildings, ground/air vehicles, and military installations. A multilayer architecture, such as those found in naturally occurring nacre shell, can greatly reduce weight and enhance the mechanical strength and toughness. However, optical transmission of layered materials degrades dramatically as the number of layers increases, limiting visibility. Light reflections in multilayers also causes thin-film interference, resulting in the iridescent appearance commonly observed nacre shells. The objective of the proposed research is to investigate the fabrication and optical properties of a new class of multilayer ceramic-polymer composites with interfacial nanostructures. In this project we successfully 1) constructed rigorous optical models, 2) developed fabrication and assembly processes to created nanostructured multilayers, and 3) demonstrated experimentally that light reflections in a silia-polymer interface can be suppressed using embedded nanostructures. The fabricated prototype exhibits enhanced transmission for broad wavelength (400-800 nm) and wide angle (0-75 degrees), and also shows suppressed iridescent effects.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 17, 2017
- Accession Number
- AD1059328
Entities
People
- Chih-Hao Chang
Organizations
- North Carolina State University