Analisis Sifat Mekanik Komposit Coco Fiber Epoxy/Carbon Sebagai Material Anti Peluru Dalam Menahan Energi Impak Proyektil

Abstract

Natural fiber–based composites are lightweight materials with promising potential for environmentally friendly ballistic protection applications. One of the most attractive materials to investigate is a composite made of coconut fiber (coco fiber) combined with epoxy resin and carbon powder. This combination is expected to enhance energy absorption capacity while reducing overall weight compared to conventional metallic materials.
This study aims to analyze the mechanical properties and ballistic impact resistance of a coco fiber–epoxy–carbon composite. Two specimens were fabricated with the same volume fraction composition, consisting of 20% coconut fiber, 20% carbon powder, and 60% epoxy resin, but with different thicknesses of 40 mm and 44 mm. Ballistic testing was conducted using live firing with 9 mm caliber bullets at a distance of 25 m and 5.56 mm caliber bullets at 100 m. Projectile velocities were measured using a chronograph to determine the absorbed energy of the composite.
The results showed that both specimens experienced complete perforation under both projectile types. The dominant failure modes observed were delamination, radial cracking, and fiber pull-out due to weak fiber–matrix adhesion. Although the composite has not met the NIJ 0101.06 standard, it shows potential for application as an energy-absorbing backing layer in multilayer ballistic protection systems