A Direct Lamination Strategy for Impact‐Resistant EPDM / PP Elastomer Composites Reinforced With UHMWPE Fabrics

ABSTRACT Ultra‐high‐molecular‐weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibers are widely used in lightweight protective systems, and commercial UHMWPE‐based sheets already exhibit excellent flexibility and impact resistance. However, the direct integration of UHMWPE fabrics with deformable elastomeric matrices through rubber‐compatible processing remains insufficiently explored. Herein, UHMWPE fabric‐reinforced EPDM/PP elastomer laminates were fabricated by direct hot lamination without fabric preimpregnation. Polypropylene (PP) was incorporated to tailor matrix stiffness and interfacial stress transfer. PP increased matrix stiffness, while 20 phr PP provided a favorable balance among stiffness, interfacial deformability, and energy dissipation. For 3‐ply laminates, the peak load increased from 108.38 N for EPDM/PP‐0 to 417.39 N for EPDM/PP‐20. Increasing the fabric ply number from 3 to 18 further enhanced the peak load to 5188.98 N and absorbed energy to 45.07 J, demonstrating the important contribution of laminate architecture to low‐velocity impact resistance. SHPB tests revealed that PP incorporation did not improve through‐thickness dynamic compressive strength, indicating clear loading‐mode dependence. These results highlight the coupled role of matrix stiffness, interfacial adaptability, and laminate architecture.