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
Aerospace

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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Wickert Hydraulic Presses
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Latest Core Articles

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CAMX

Net-shape machining services available for structural foam core

CAMX 2024: In addition to its distribution of various product materials for the composites industry, Technology Marketing Inc. now assists in machined net-shaped Rohacell structural foam core to customer requirements.

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Recycling

Fully recyclable sandwich panel targets aerospace cabin interiors

CAMX 2024: Diab introduces sandwich panels that combine its structural foam core Divinycell F and thermoplastic skins, designed to meet current challenges in sustainability, REACH compliancy and more.

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CAMX

Heat-activated foaming core rapidly achieves net-shape 3D parts

CAMX 2024: L&L Products exhibits its InsituCore foaming core structural technology, which can be used to create foam core composites minus machining or presses, as well as the Phaster XP K-700, a rapid-cure adhesive. 

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Core

Rigid, unfaced foams support high core performance

CAMX 2024: Closed-cell Elfoam products offered by Elliott Co. of Indianapolis offer a number of benefits, making it flexible from large-volume to one-off composites projects. 

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Core

Airbus video highlights RACER compound helicopter first flight

Launched as part of a Clean Sky 2 program, a compound design — rotor, split fixed-wing, propulsive propellers — uses composites to cut fuel consumption and emissions by 20%.

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Automotive

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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Knowledge Centers

Composites in Advanced Air Mobility
Composites in Advanced Air Mobility

Explore the cutting-edge composites industry, as experts delve into the materials, tooling, and manufacturing hurdles of meeting the demands of the promising advanced air mobility (AAM) market. Join us at CW Tech Days to unlock the future of efficient composites fabrication operations.

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Sustainability
Sustainability

The composites industry is increasingly recognizing the imperative of sustainability in its operations. As demand for lightweight and durable materials rises across various sectors, such as automotive, aerospace, and construction, there is a growing awareness of the environmental impact associated with traditional composite manufacturing processes.

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Wabash
HEATCON Composite Systems
Composites product design
NewStar Adhesives - Nautical Adhesives
CompositesWorld

Latest Core News And Updates

Carbon Fibers

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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Trends

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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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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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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CompositesWorld
Airtech
CAMX 2024
MITO® Material Solutions
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Featured Posts

Prepregs

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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Construction

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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Wind/Energy

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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Core

Optimizing AFP for complex-cored CFRP fuselage

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

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Bonding/Welding

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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Advert for lightweight carrier veils used in aero
Release agents and process chemical specialties
CompositesWorld
Carbon Fiber 2024
Carbon Fiber 2024