Application of Ceramic Materials in Weapons and Equipment
I. Ceramic Composites in Armored Protection Systems
In the field of weapons and equipment, ceramic composites have become one of the core materials for modern armored protection systems due to their unique physical and chemical properties. Their high hardness, lightweight nature, and excellent impact resistance have enabled them to occupy an important position in the protective design of land, maritime, and aerial combat platforms. In terms of armored vehicle protection, the application of ceramic composites has significantly enhanced the survivability of combat vehicles. Compared with traditional steel armor, ceramic composites have a lower density, which can greatly reduce the weight of the armor and improve the mobility of the vehicle.
For example, composite armor using alumina or silicon carbide ceramics has a hardness of over 9 on the Mohs scale and can effectively resist the penetration of armor-piercing projectiles and explosively formed projectiles.
The corrosion resistance of ceramic materials enables them to perform excellently in marine environments, with a service life of over 20 years, which is much longer than that of traditional metal protective materials.
In the design of military aircraft, ceramic matrix composites are used for armor protection of key components such as the fuselage and leading edges of wings.
II. High-Temperature Resistant Ceramic Components in Missiles and Rocket Engines
Silicon nitride (Si₃N₄) and silicon carbide (SiC) ceramics can still maintain a flexural strength of over 400 MPa in a high-temperature environment of 1,600 °C, a property that makes them ideal choices for high-temperature components of engines.
In missile engine applications, ceramic matrix composites have been successfully used to manufacture turbine rotor blades and combustion chamber liners.
The improvement in the propulsive efficiency of rocket engines directly benefits from the application of advanced ceramic materials. In a series of tests conducted between 2021 and 2023, NASA confirmed that zirconia-toughened alumina (ZTA) ceramic nozzles exhibit excellent thermal shock resistance in a high-temperature gas environment of 3000 °C, with a service life 5 to 8 times longer than that of traditional metal nozzles.
III. Ceramics for Bulletproof Plates and Lightweight Armor
In the field of bulletproof plates, a technical route dominated by alumina, silicon carbide, and silicon nitride has been formed. According to performance test data, ceramic bulletproof plates exhibit outstanding performance in terms of compressive strength, tensile strength, and impact resistance, and can effectively withstand attacks from bullets of various calibers. Compared with traditional metal materials, ceramic bulletproof plates have a significant lightweight advantage, with a weight reduction range of 30% to 50%, which significantly improves the mobility and sustained combat capability of individual soldiers.
Lightweight armor solutions have evolved from single-function protection toward multi-functional integration. In current military equipment, under the premise of ensuring protective performance, ceramic composite armor has successfully reduced the total weight of armored vehicles by 15% to 20%.