Modern sandwich core materials offer new attractive design possibilities

Abstract

Activities in trying to make the airplane interiors more attractive to passengers increase the demand for complex, three‐dimensional sandwich structural parts. The realization of three‐dimensional contours often failed in the past, due to a lack of process ability or the enormous production costs caused by the processing of conventional phenolic cores. The new structural foam cores based on thermoplastic polytherimide (PEI), AIREX R92, offer the highest design freedom in combination with a reduction of the processing costs. Furthermore, they fulfil the highest possible fire‐smoke‐toxicity specifications.