Have you ever imagined yourself in a life-threatening combat situation? In this situation, can an everyday helmet save your life?
Many people may be wondering, “Are motorcycle helmets bulletproof?” and if you are too, Motorcycleclick.com will give you the answer right here in this article.
What Are The Features Of Bulletproof Helmets?
Bulletproof
For bulletproof helmets, of course, the biggest and must-have function is to prevent bullets from penetrating. This will greatly reduce the rate of traumatic brain injury or death for military personnel, especially those fighting in the field.
Even if the bullets can not touch you, but due to its fast and powerful flight speed, the warhead can still cause serious damage. Theoretically, a bulletproof helmet can protect you from most of those impacts.
To do this, scientists will often use hard, super-strong materials for the outside and inside to be sheets of soft materials interwoven in the form of a grid.
Appropriate And Sufficient Padding
The helmet lining is an indispensable part of helmets in general and bulletproof helmets in particular. Engineers will often design an additional shock-absorbing foam directly on the cheeks, while the lining of conventional hats only protects around the head.
Adjustable Retention System
The helmet buckle and adjustment strap must also be standard and comfortable for the user. Velcro is usually designed in the form of a latch, withstands a great deal of traction, so you don’t need to worry about the helmet breaking off under strong impact. Manufacturers have calculated and tested to make sure they meet the standards for your safety.
That is not to say that your bulletproof helmet will be rigid and uncomfortable; on the contrary, the helmet strap can be adjusted to create the most comfortable feeling possible for the user while still ensuring your life safety.
Are Motorcycle Helmets Bulletproof? What Is The Difference Between A Bulletproof And A Normal Helmet?
So, is a motorcycle helmet bulletproof?
Right from the name, it says it all: regular helmets are not bulletproof. To achieve this, manufacturers have to work on creating specialized features and materials for bulletproof headwear.
Keep reading to discover three main differences between a bulletproof and a normal helmet.
Outer Shell
The biggest difference between bulletproof helmets and normal driving helmets is that ordinary headwear only has a hard shell made of plastic. Therefore, their level of protection is, of course, not comparable to bulletproof helmets.
The outer shell of bulletproof helmets is usually made from super-strong materials. Some typical materials for bulletproof designs include thermoplastic shells, carbon shells, or fiberglass shells. We’ll cover this in more detail below.
Basically, this outer shell is the first layer of protection that prevents the bullet from going through or partially reducing the speed of the warhead. Scientists use the hardness of the outer shell to break the aerodynamic shape of the bullet, causing the warhead to deform and reduce damage.
Inner Padding
Next, we can proceed to compare the inner protective layer. Conventional helmets will consist of a thick layer of foam and ordinary fabric to protect drivers from traffic collision situations.
However, bulletproof helmets are more advanced in use. Basically, you can imagine it as a super-strong net – like a goal net. It’s just that it’s more densely woven and uses a stronger material to withstand bullets, which fly much faster than a ball.
Front Glass
Bulletproof glass is a type of glass made from special film layers and combined with specialized layers of glass. These layers of the bulletproof film have the effect of preventing bullets from going through and will retain to protect the user.
If an outsider fires a bullet into your face with the protective glass on, the bullet will hit the first layer. This brittle material will break around the point of impact and absorb some of the energy over a large area. This material then absorbs the remaining energy of the bullet, stopping the bullet.
Of course, it can’t resist rifles like bulletproof car glass. However, it is enough to protect soldiers in combat.
What Are The Basic Manufacturing Materials For A Helmet?
Above, Motorcycleclick.com have mentioned these two materials. And here you will have a more overview of them.
Carbon Fiber Shell
Carbon fiber is an artificial product made mainly of carbon with an internal carbon fiber content of at least 90%. To produce a carbon fiber, the carbon atoms will be bonded together, creating a very high strength-to-mass ratio. Several thousand carbon fibers must be combined to form a complete carbon fiber.
The atomic mass of the element carbon is much lighter than that of ordinary metals, but the bond is very strong. Therefore, carbon fiber will have the characteristics of lightness and strength, heat resistance, and good bearing.
This is an ideal material to create a bulletproof outer shell, helping to reduce the impact and speed of the warhead.
Aramid/Thermoplastic Polyurethane Anti-Ballistic Layer
Thermoplastic is a type of plastic made from polymer resin material. It will be converted into a homogeneous liquid when subjected to heat and cooling.
There are many different types of thermoplastics. Each type will differ in the organization as well as the density of the crystal. Some types that often appear in major production are polyurethane, polypropylene, polycarbonate, and acrylic.
In the production of bulletproof helmets, TPU is used as an additive to enhance the protection of the product. The standard thickness of the TPU layer is about 9.01mm (0.355 inches).
Conclusion
In sum, are motorcycle helmets bulletproof? The answer is no.
Ordinary helmets can only help you survive in collision situations such as falls, crashing at a speed that is not too great. As for the warhead, it can penetrate ordinary helmets easily.
We hope you are satisfied with this answer. Thank you for reading, and hope to see you soon.
Check the website Motorcycleclick.com for more information about helmets.