Experimental analysis of the flexural and compressive properties of carbon fiber reinforced sandwich panels with M-shaped core

The present paper addresses the flexural and compressive properties of carbon fiber reinforced sandwich panels with an M-shaped core reinforced with nan-silica particles. Experimental compression and three-point bending tests are conducted to determine the flexural and compressive stiffness and the load-carrying capacity of these advanced composites. In addition, polyurethane foam has been injected into the core of the sandwich panel. The results of these analyses are compared for the sandwich panels containing the various number of carbon layers, 8-layered carbon fiber and 14-layered carbon fiber. From the experimental results of the study, it was figured out that: (a) The experimental results show that the specific flexural strength of the sandwich panels with 14-layered carbon fiber has a higher strength than that of the sandwich panels with 8-layered carbon fiber. (b) Adding 1–3 weight percentage of nano-silica into the carbon fiber had the most desirable effects on enhancing flexural and compressive strength of the sandwich panels. (c) It was found that polyurethane foam enhanced sandwich panels’ ultimate compressive and bending loads and absorber features.