Development of a flexible fiber-reinforced material with high protective performance for use in high-pressure water jet work

High-pressure water jets are widely used in industrial and cleaning applications, but accidental exposure can cause serious injuries. To enhance safety, we developed a flexible, high-strength fiber-filled elastomer composite for use in protective gloves. The composite was fabricated using an optimized molding process and tested under simulated water jet impact conditions. The fiber reinforcement improved the penetration resistance by 116% compared with the unreinforced elastomer, and by up to 710% when using high-modulus fibers. SEM observations revealed that the fibers suppressed crack initiation and limited their propagation within the matrix, contributing to the enhanced protective performance. The results demonstrate that an appropriate combination of fiber type, adhesion, and matrix flexibility can achieve both high protection and comfort, offering a promising approach for advanced protective materials.