Research Projects

Composites are widely used in the aerospace and automotive industries for their lightweight characteristics, high stiffness, and strength. To protect against low-velocity impacts, sandwich panels with impact-resistant core materials are ideal. Carbon fiber or epoxy resin (CFRP) composites, with low-density honeycomb or foam cores, are ideal for lightweight structural components. 3D woven fabric composites have shown potential in eliminating delamination issues. Cenosphere, a low-density material extracted from fly ash, improves impact resistance by reducing density and enhancing compressive strength. Auxetic composites are being explored for their superior mechanical properties, such as high energy absorption and indentation resistance. Researchers have decided to incorporate additive manufacturing processes to develop impact-resistant sandwich composites with a CFRP facesheet and a 3D printed cenosphere reinforced PEEK core. These composites will be assessed for energy absorption and damage mitigation behavior using a drop weight impact testing machine. This hybrid approach combines Auxeticity for a lightweight, energy-absorbing core and industrial waste fly ash for sustainable composite development. This study serves as a motivation for make in India concepts for impact-resistant products like bumpers for automobiles and structural components for aerospace applications with reduced areal density.