초록
This study explores and selects an appropriate material that considers light and soft physical properties as well as activity for impact absorption pads that can be used to develop practical impact protective clothes worn during daily life by the elderly to reduce the impact of falls. Physical properties, impact absorption performance, and compression characteristics were evaluated on 5 types of foam, 2 types of 3D spacer fabric, and 3 types of polymer gel to select a material appropriate for the pad to be inserted into impact protective clothes. The evaluation of the physical properties showed that 3D spacer fabrics had lower density compared to other materials and polymer gels had the highest density. The elongation percentage was higher in foams than 3D spacer fabrics and EPDM foam had the highest elongation percentage. The impact absorption performance of honeycomb polymer gel was better than foams and 3D spacer fabrics. As a result of looking into compression energy and compression characteristics of materials, 'CR foam A' was found to absorb the largest amount of compression energy, 24.1%, among foams and polymer gels. A high energy absorption rate of 50.0% (or above) was indicated by 3D spacer fabrics; however, foams and polymer gels showed a progressive deformation of energy compression / recovery curve with 3D spacer fabrics that showed drastic deformation. Based on characteristics of materials, 'CR foam C' and EPDM with relatively high absorption performance can be used as protective pad materials among foams. Among polymer gels, 2 open-type polymer gels that have relatively low impact protective performance but a relatively lighter weight on human body (compared to closed-type) are considered appropriate protective pad materials.