Oriented polymer films such as those made of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) can offer high ballistic protection at low areal densities, however, their application is limited due to low optical transmittance and clarity. Hence, in this project, LaunchBay LLC will develop manufacturing process for a novel oriented film that provides not only superior ballistic performance but also high optical transparency, making it suitable for use in visors, transparent armor and protective windows. The resulting films will be durable, easy to manufacture, and competitive to currently used ballistic fibers and fabrics in terms of cost and performance. In addition, our novel material will be superior to currently fielded transparent polymers such as polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), polycarbonate (PC) and polyurethane (PU).
