Sandwich Cores

A sandwich-structured composite is a special class of composite materials which is manufactured by attaching two thin but stiff skins to a lightweight but thick core. The core material is normally low strength material, but its higher thickness provides the sandwich composite with high bending stiffness with overall low density.

Open and closed cell structured foams like polyvinylchloride, polyurethane, polyethylene or polystyrene foams, balsa wood, syntactic foams, and honeycombs are commonly used core materials. Sometimes, the honeycomb structure is filled with other foams for added strength. Open and closed cell metal foam can also be used as core materials.

Laminates of glass or carbon fibre reinforced thermoplastics or mainly thermoset polymers (unsaturated polyesters, epoxies...) are widely used as skin materials.

The core is bonded to the skins with an adhesive.