Goal: Compare the mechanical properties, prices and processes (wet lay vs infusion) for different types of sandwich cores
Cores to Investigate
Nomex (honeycomb core used in MSXIV)
Soric (flexible foam core)
Divinycell (PVC foam core)
Grade H (lower weight) & HM (higher strength)
Honeycomb | Soric | Divinycell H | Divinycell HM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Properties | ||||
Price | ||||
Process | Prepreg
| Infusion |
Nomex
...
Honeycomb Core
Used is MSXIV, 1/4” thickness [1]
Available at [7]
Thicknesses of 2.16mm, 5.33mm, 8.51mm (thicker sizes also available)
Sheets of 12”x12’’, 24’’x24’’, 24”x48’’, 48x48’’, 50”x100’’
Price: if you buy 2.16mm in sheets of 12”x12”, the cost is roughly $62.30/m²
May be available cheaper at a different place
gets more expensive when you buy larger sheets
Process
The standard process for honeycomb seems to be prepreg. There may be a way to do infusion as well [5]
There is a specific honeycomb core made for infusion manufacturing at [8]
Soric
...
Foam core
Available in 2mm and 3mm thicknesses at [6]
Significantly thinner than the core used in MSXIV
Price: sold in rolls of 1.2m width, ~$10.03/m²
shipped from the UK so extra fees may apply
Resources:
Past Confluence Pages
Goes through the process of laying up the prepreg and Nomex
Compares the sandwich cores of different university design teams
UofT was found to use Nomex for their core as well
Carbon Fiber with Nomex core Process Comparison: Prepreg and Infusion
[4] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyXWXHC1adg
[5] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHLSzEmWzJs
Prices
[6] https://www.easycomposites.co.uk/lantor-soric-sf
[7] https://www.rockwestcomposites.com/aramid-honeycomb-series
Other Honeycomb Core
[8] https://www.plascore.com/honeycomb/honeycomb-cores/thermoplastic/closed-molding/
This honeycomb core was designed specifically for infusion
General Reading
[9] https://www.compositesworld.com/articles/getting-to-the-core-of-composite-laminates
Compares honeycomb, foam and balsawood sandwich cores