A bulletproof vest is a piece of clothing that is used to protect against firearms or stabbing weapons. These vests are frequently used by the army, police and for personal security. The name ”bulletproof” is not entirely correct because most vests offer little protection against large firearms, only against small handguns and stabbing weapons.
History
1800-1914
The first flexible body armor was developed by Joseon Korea in 1860, shortly after the French invasion of Korea. Heungseon Daewongun demanded development of body armor due to an increasing threat from Western armies. Kim Gi-Doo and Gang Yoon discovered that cotton could protect against bullets if it was thick enough. She developed vests made from 30 layers of cotton. These vests were used during the United States expedition to Korea in 1871. The US Army found one of the vests and took it back to the US. In 1880, Dr. George Emery Goodfellow with the research into vests with 18 to 30 layers of sides to protect people from bullets. Casimir Zegler used Goodfellow’s discoveries to make a bulletproof vest from silk in the late 18th century. This vest was available in stores in 1914 for $800, a large sum of money at the time.
1914-1935
During the First World War, the US developed several body armor. One of those vests was a Brewster Body shield, made of nickel. It worked great, but weighed 18kg and was not flexible. In the early 1930s, people from criminal organizations in the US started wearing cheap vests made of thick layers of cotton. These vests were able to withstand the impact of light hand guns. The FBI’s response to this development was to produce heavier handguns such as the Magnum.
1935-1970
In the Second World War there were still few vests that were both comfortable and effective. Both the US and the Red Army used steel plates on the chest. It was only during the Vietnam War that the development of the bulletproof vest started to get underway. During this war, silicone or aluminum oxide plates were used that were applied to nylon vests.
1970-2000
In 1970, Dupont introduced the first vest made of Kevlar. This vest was light, comfortable and therefore very suitable for people who have to wear it for long periods of time. Between 1990 and 2000, various materials were produced with a structure similar to Kevlar. Examples are Dyneema, Gold Flex, Dragon skin, Spectra and Zylon.
Construction bulletproof vest
Dyneema
An important component of modern bulletproof vests is a polyethylene-based plastic fiber. This substance is also called Dyneema and was patented by the DSM laboratories company in the late 1970s. In addition to its use in bulletproof vests, the substance also has many other purposes. It is used in maritime shipping, for nets and sails. When anchoring oil drilling platforms, and in various sports such as archery, fencing and ice hockey.
Gold Flex
Gold Flex is a material produced by Honeywell. It is made of synthetic amaride fibers. A kind of polyethylene. Gold Flex is said to be stronger and more flexible than Kevlar. Which means it offers higher quality protection with more comfort. A disadvantage of Gold Flex is the price.
Kevlar
Developed by Dupont in 1970. It consists of aramid fibers, which are polyamides made from aromatic monomers.
In addition to the base layer of Dyneema, Kevl ar or Gold Flex, the vital body parts of the heavier vests are also protected with metal plates (titanium, steel). These reinforced vests are mainly used by the military because they also provide protection against greater firepower (automatic rifles).
Bulletproof vest operation
The purpose of a bulletproof vest is to absorb the force of a bullet and spread it over a larger surface area. A bullet from a handgun will be completely deformed after impact with a hard surface. This also happens when colliding with a bulletproof vest. The energy of the bullet is thus absorbed, preventing penetration of the bullet into the body.
Although penetration is prevented, the human body must still absorb the impact of the bullet. Even without the penetrating effect, a absorbed bullet can still do a lot of damage. Internal bleeding and bruising should be considered. The effect of a bullet on a bulletproof vest can be compared to the blow of a hammer on your body, it will not kill you, but getting up and walking like James Bond will not work.