Transparent polyamide armor

Claim 1

A lightweight, transparent armor shield having a thickness of about 1/32 inch to about 2 inches, consisting essentially of a transparent, substantially amonphouse polymeric material having an inherent viscosity of at least about 0.6 formed by the polymerization of: A. at least one compound having the general formula ##STR7## wherein each R is individually selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and --CH 3 ; and b. at least one polycarboxylic acid having from 6 to 26 carbon atoms per molecule selected from the group consisting of: a. straight chain dicarboxylic acids having from 6 to 18 carbon atoms, b. phenylidane dicarboxylic acids having the general formula ##STR8## wherein each R' is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and alkyl radicals having from 1 to 3 carbon atoms; c. tricarboxylic acids having the general formula R"(CO 2 H) 3 , wherein R" is a trivalent saturated or aromatic hydrocarbon radical having from 3 to 12 carbon atoms, d. bis(carboxyphenyl)methanes having the general formula ##STR9## wherein R is --H or --CH 3 , and e. mixtures thereof wherein an armor shield having a thickness of about 1/4 inch is capable of having a V 50 rating of at least about 878 fps, as determined according to MID-STD-662A, when fired at by a .22 califre 17-grain fragment-simulating projectile.