2016 Award Winning Materials
Core Materials
Balsa, honeycomb, foam and aluminum are the materials most commonly used as core in composite sandwich structures. Use of core increases thickness and stiffness of composite structures, with minimal weight penalty.
High-Temperature Resins
Composite parts and structures exposed to high temperatures require a resin matrix designed to withstand the heat. Common resins here include polyimides, bezoxazines, bismaleimides and cyanate esters, among others.
Fabrics & Preforms
Fibers of all types are typically produced as single tows. Tows are then used to weave or a knit a variety of fabric types, including preforms. Preforms are three-dimensional fabric forms designed to conform to a specific shape to meet specific mechanical and structural requirements.