Exploring the Versatility and Applications of Polypropylene Honeycomb Sheets
Polypropylene Honeycomb is an incredibly strong, light and flexible material that has been tested and proven to offer optimal mechanical properties when used in composite sandwich structures. As a replacement for the standard core materials such as plywood, balsa and foam, PP Honeycomb has become a preferred option for consumer and industrial product manufacturers.
By laminating a pp honeycomb sheet with fiberglass sheets, a Composite sandwich structure is formed which provides additional benefits such as improved core shear, compression and adhesion performance. Due to the distinctive cell structure, the utilization of a high impact copolymer PP and the specialized material processing, this product has attractive performance levels. PP Honeycomb is created to make it simpler to use in lots of traditional manufacturing techniques and can be found in various sheet sizes and facings. It is always readily available and can be modified to meet any strength or stiffness requirements. All of the following tools can be used to easily cut them: a razor knife, circular saw, band saw, sire saw, CNC water jet, CNC ultrasonic, knife, and a steel rule die punching process.
In addition to the tools already mentioned, these PP honeycomb sheets can be formed because of the amazing capability of polypropylene material when the surface is heated. With their wide range of features, they are the ideal choice for vacuum molding and hot press applications.
Main properties of our PP honeycomb sheets :
- The multi-axial structure provides performance that is equal in all directions.
- The entire sheet has a uniform and consistent cell structure which has no interruptions or gaps.
- The combination of integral and thermally fused facings in our products provide the best adhesion possible.
- The non-woven surface is compatible with a wide variety of resin systems, including Epoxy, Polyester, Vinyl Ester, Urethane and Methacrylate Resin.
- This technique greatly reduces the amount of laminating resin necessary while ensuring full saturation of the material.
- The material continues to take on energy even after it has reached its maximum yield.
These items are completely recyclable and can be recycled in their entirety.
Some other advantageous:
Honeycomb continues to bear load even after failure
Under normal operating loads, most core materials react the same way to stress. As the load increases, the core starts to bend to deal with the increased shear stress. Unlike other core materials that reach a maximum yield stress and fail in a big way, honeycomb, and especially PP Honeycomb, keeps working and responding. This continued response shows that the honeycomb can still absorb energy after it has reached its ultimate yield strength.
Acoustic insulation material
By changing the size, density, and thickness of the honeycomb cells and adding a porous non-woven polyester surface veil, PP Honeycomb can be tuned to a specific frequency range for the best absorption. It is possible to block up to 99 percent of the sound.
Optimal energy dissipation
Like many other honeycomb structures, PP Honeycomb is a good way to absorb constant force. After the honeycomb reaches its compressive yield strength, it continues to absorb energy by deforming to a level near 50% of the yield strength. The absorbency stays the same for 75% of the original thickness.
Moisture resistant
Even after being exposed to moisture for a long time, the mechanical properties don’t change. Before laminating, the honeycomb may need a little bit of air drying to get rid of any remaining moisture on the surface or in the cells. Keep the material in a dry place at all times.
Enhances positive buoyancy
PP (polypropylene) honeycomb sheets typically exhibit buoyancy due to their low density and inherent air-filled cell structure. This property allows them to float in water or other fluids as long as the load or weight applied to the sheets does not exceed their load carrying capacity.
The buoyancy of PP honeycomb sheets is determined by their specific gravity, which is the ratio of the density of the material to the density of the fluid it is submerged in (typically water). PP honeycomb sheets with lower specific gravity values will have greater buoyancy and be more likely to float.
The specific gravity of PP honeycomb sheets is typically expressed in pounds per cubic foot (pcf). For example, a specific gravity of 5 pcf means that the honeycomb sheet weighs 5 pounds per cubic foot of volume. If the specific gravity of the honeycomb sheet is less than 1 (the density of water), it will have positive buoyancy and float.
It’s important to note that the specific gravity and load carrying capacity of PP honeycomb sheets can vary depending on factors such as cell size, wall thickness, and sheet configuration. Manufacturers or suppliers of PP honeycomb sheets can provide specific information on the buoyancy characteristics and load limits of their products.
Engineered for optimal tensile performance
PP Honeycomb sheets have a non-woven facing that is fused directly to the edge of the cell, so it doesn’t need any extra films or glues. This unique building method makes sure that the bonding of most resin systems is as strong as or stronger than the tensile strength of the nonwoven itself. The “hat” section of the cell edge makes it possible for resin to lock into place under its shape.
Efficiently attenuate vibration
When used as the core material in a lightweight composite sandwich structure, PP honeycomb gives the user a structure that is both lightweight and rigid, as well as a way to reduce vibrations. 34″t PP Honeycomb core sandwich panels can be less than half the weight of 3″t plywood and have up to 235% more damping than 3″t plywood. The vibrations travel through the PP Honeycomb sandwich panel 2.35 times faster than they do through plywood.
