Design, Manufacturing, and Characterization of Hybrid Carbon/Hemp Sandwich Panels

Advanced sandwich composite structures that incorporate foams or honeycombs as core materials, have been extensively investigated and used in various applications. One of the major limitations of the conventional materials used is their weak impact resistance and their end-of-life recyclability and overall sustainability. This paper is focused on the study of the production and mechanical characterization of hybrid sandwich panels using hemp bi-grid cores that were manufactured with an ad hoc continuous manufacturing process. Bi-grid structures were stratified in multiple layers, resulting in cores with different thicknesses and planar density. Sandwich panels made with carbon fibers skins were then subjected to Low Velocity Impact, compression and indentation and the damaged panels were investigated via CT-Scan. Results show that the high tailorability of the failure modes and the very good energy absorption properties of the hybrid material open new exciting perspectives for the development of new sandwich structures that can extend the use of natural fibers into several industrial applications.