In automotive design using relatively low modulus composite materials, stiffness has typically been achieved with ribs or bonded assemblies to gain the advantage of section geometry. A design alternative that is stiff, light weight, and economical is a sandwich composite using a thicker, light weight, stiff core material with thin but strong skins. Many different core materials have been used by the composites industry, such as syntactic foams, chemically blown foams, honeycombs, balsa, particle board, and plywood. All have limitations in structural applications, including density, temerature, skin-to-core adhesive strength, moisture absorption, processing economics, and smoke and flame properties. Alba-Core is a low-cost, structural syntactic core material which overcomes most of these limitations. This material can be produced not only in flat and curved sheets, but can be molded into shapes of varying cross-section. Composite structural components having complex geometry can now be produced more economically with compression molding, S-RIM (structural reaction injection molding) or RTM (resin transfer molding) processes. The material can be engineered by adjusting the density. Higher performance can easily be achieved by adding reinforcement fibers, mats, or honeycombs. Several different resins can be used, although phenolic appears to have the best potential.
Development of a moldable, structural, low density core material for sandwich composites
Entwicklung eines gießbaren und tragenden Kernwerkstoffs niedriger Dichte für Sandwich-Verbundwerkstoffe
1995
6 Seiten, 4 Tabellen
Aufsatz (Konferenz)
Englisch