Multifunctional cellular sandwich structures with optimised core topologies for improved mechanical properties and energy harvesting performance

This paper developed a multifunctional composite sandwich structure with optimised design on topological cores. As the main concern, full structures were manufactured carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) facesheets and designed Three-point bending tests have been performed to assess mechanical performance of cellular structures. To evaluate energy harvesting performance, piezoelectric transducer was integrated at interface between upper facesheet core, both sinusoidal base excitation input acceleration measured from real cruising aircraft vehicle. It has found that conventional honeycomb core demonstrated best assessed under tests. In terms re-entrant manifested approximately 20% higher RMS voltage output than sandwiches chiral evaluated numerically experimentally. The resistance sweep further suggested power twice as large cores, optimal external excitation.