# Experts on flexible composites

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experts-on-flexible-composites/797940>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 4, 2017, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experts-on-flexible-composites/797940 "2017-10-04T12:49:01Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\
**Post date:** [October 4, 2017, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experts-on-flexible-composites/797940/1 "2017-10-04T12:49:01Z")

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I am looking for a material slightly more flexible than fiberglass or carbon fiber with similar strength characteristics. About double the elasticity of fiberglass would be ideal. I can’t make heads or tails of the engineering charts. I would like to try it out on archery bow limbs using much shorter working limb areas.

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**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\
**Post date:** [October 4, 2017, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experts-on-flexible-composites/797940/2 "2017-10-04T17:51:36Z")

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Ballistic nylon comes to mind.

> **[Ballistic nylon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ballistic_nylon)**
>
> Ballistic nylon is a thick, tough, nylon fabric with several uses. Ballistic nylon was developed by the DuPont corporation as a material for flak jackets to be worn by World War II airmen. The term ballistic nylon originates in the fabric's intended function, protecting its wearers from flying debris and fragmentation caused by bullet and artillery-shell impacts.
> The original specification for ballistic nylon was an 18 ounce nylon fabric made from 1050 denier high tenacity nylon yarn in a 2×2 ba...

I had a fuel cell on a race car that used ballistic nylon for the outer shell. It was definitely more flexible then fiberglass but still tough.

Dennis

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\
**Post date:** [October 4, 2017, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experts-on-flexible-composites/797940/3 "2017-10-04T18:25:15Z")

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> [@mixdenny](#):
>
> Ballistic nylon comes to mind.
> 
> [Ballistic nylon - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ballistic_nylon)
> 
> I had a fuel cell on a race car that used ballistic nylon for the outer shell. It was definitely more flexible then fiberglass but still tough.
> 
> Dennis

Thanks, I will look into it, I like the sound of ballistic nylon for archery purposes