Core Materials for Composites

Composite core materials serve as the central structural component in composite structures, providing stability, strength, and support while often contributing to the overall lightweight nature of the final product. These cores, typically made of materials like foam, honeycomb structures, or balsa wood, are sandwiched between layers of composite skins to form a composite panel. Their inherent properties—such as high strength-to-weight ratios, excellent insulation, and impact resistance—make them integral in various industries, including marine, aerospace, and construction, where weight reduction and structural integrity are paramount. The choice of core material plays a crucial role in determining the performance and characteristics of the composite structure.

Aviation-specific battery system uses advanced composites to address electric, hybrid flight
Core

Aviation-specific battery system uses advanced composites to address electric, hybrid flight

BOLDair’s composite enclosure, compression structures and thermal runaway management enables high-performance electric energy storage.

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TOPCON24
Wickert Hydraulic Presses

Latest Core Articles

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Thermoplastics

HyWaSand demonstrates large-series production potential for automotive TP sandwich components

Storage compartment flap for truck interior produced via fully automated continuous fiber thermoplastic sandwich molding technology shows suitability for series manufacture.

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Core

Rock West delivers high-precision composite support tube for particle detection

Large carbon fiber and honeycomb core component, known as the barrel timing layer (BLT) tracker support tube, was delivered to Purdue as part of an upgrade to CERN’s general-purpose proton-proton collision detector for space research.

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Core

Ultra-light honeycomb blocks are engineered for application versatility

JEC World 2024: Schütz Composites introduces Cormaster, its line of aramid paper-based honeycomb materials suitable in many application fields as panels or parts.

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Bio-based, fire-resistant composites become mainstream

Projects use Duplicor prepreg panels with highest Euroclass B fire performance without fire retardants for reduced weight, CO2 footprint in sustainable yet affordable roofs, high-rise façades and modular housing.

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Marine

Composites industry experts collaborate to address ISO 12215-5:2019 standard challenges

3A Composites Core Materials, STRUCTeam and Beneteau are working to rectify the shortcomings of core requirements of small marine craft in the 2019 framework, while exploring optimal design approaches with foam and balsa core materials.

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Carbon Fibers

ATL Composites collaboration advances kite-foil board production for Paris Olympics

Breiana Whitehead, pioneering Australian kite-foil sailor, spearheads board design intricacies with ATL Composites to enhance her performance ahead of the July 2024 competition.

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Knowledge Centers

CompositesWorld Collections
CompositesWorld Collections

CW’s editors are tracking the latest trends and developments in tooling, from the basics to new developments. This collection, presented by Composites One, features four recent CW stories that detail a range of tooling technologies, processes and materials.

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Design, Simulation and Testing Technologies for Next-Gen Composite Structures
Design, Simulation and Testing Technologies for Next-Gen Composite Structures

Review the state of the art in design, simulation, failure analysis, digital twins, virtual testing and virtual inspection.

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CW Tech Days
CW Tech Days

During CW Tech Days: Thermoplastics for Large Structures, experts explored the materials and processing technologies that are enabling the transition to large-part manufacturing.

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Toray Advanced Composites
Compression Molding
Wabash
Kent Pultrusion
Airtech International Inc.

Latest Core News And Updates

Core

Armacell improves rPET foam offerings with ArmaPET Struct GRX

Structural foam core entirely made from recycled plastic bottles imparts efficiency gains, cost optimization and a more sustainable outlook for sandwich structure production.

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Chomarat expands range of composite reinforcement options

Rovicore FM core and C-Weave Stabilized woven fabrics are designed to improve the quality and performance of composite materials.

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Core

ARIS introduces polymer-free ceramic composite

Fireproof, lightweight ceramic material ALEC2 is highly sustainable, suitable for manufacturing a variety of aerospace products, as well as marine and other industries.

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Core

BeSpline wins IBEX Innovation Award, announces partnership with Boston Boatworks for Shaped Foam Kits

CAD-driven fabrication uses adaptive mold technology for lighter, stronger, higher quality boat structures without time and cost of building a mold while drastically reducing core fitting time for yacht builders.

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Consumer

HO Sports unveils Sabre water ski with bio-based foam core

New water ski developed in partnership with Checkerspot brings high-performance biomaterials to watersports, replacing petroleum-based materials with algae-derived core.

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CAMX

Bespoke prepregs, cellular cores blend adaptability, resilience and performance

CAMX 2023: Patz Materials and Technologies extends its prowess in space and aerospace innovations to a novel prepreg with a high char yield matrix, and Carbon-Carbon Cellular Core.

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KraussMaffei Metering Systems
3D industrial laser projection
HEATCON Composite Systems
CompositesWorld
CompositesWorld

Featured Posts

ATL/AFP

Plant tour: BeSpline/Addcomp, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada

Composites automation specialist increases access to next-gen technologies, including novel AFP systems and unique 3D parts using adaptive molds.

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Work In Progress

Drag-based wind turbine design for higher energy capture

Claiming significantly higher power generation capacity than traditional blades, Xenecore aims to scale up its current monocoque, fan-shaped wind blades, made via compression molded carbon fiber/epoxy with I-beam ribs and microsphere structural foam.

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Trends

A new generation of PP foam core for lightweight truck trailers, RVs

Extruded PP (XPP) foam core offers lightweight, high-performance monomaterial panels that are easily recycled for truck flooring, sidewalls or cabinet/furnitureboards as the transportation industry seeks a replacement for plywood.

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Aerospace

Optimizing AFP for complex-cored CFRP fuselage

Automated process cuts emissions, waste and cost for lightweight RACER helicopter side shells.

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Glass Fibers

Prefabricated composite panels, joining system ease catamaran construction

New Zealand-based G&T Marine reduces assembly and construction time with ATL Composites’ composite DuFLEX panels.

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Focus on Design

Composite buildings go monocoque

Superior protection from the elements plus fast, affordable installation and maintenance have quickly made Orenco Composites’ DuraFiber buildings an attractive choice for water and wastewater, communications, transportation and power industry outbuildings.

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CAMX 2024
CompositesWorld
Harper International Carbon Fiber
Airtech
Kraussmaffei Metering Systems