Design of Auxetic Sandwich Panels for Structural Applications

Based on an analytical modeling analysis, a sandwich structure with a 3D re-entrant auxetic core was designed. Auxetic samples were produced by electron beam melting (EBM) and selective laser sintering (SLS), and compared to other regular cellular sandwich structures through various experiments. It was shown that sandwich structures with pre-designed auxetic cores could exhibit significantly improved mechanical properties such as bending compliance and energy absorption, which are critical to many structural applications. This work demonstrated an alternative of effectively designing 3D cellular structures, and also showed the potential of this type of auxetic structure in applications via careful design.