Manufacturing Process and Mechanical Properties Characterization for Steel Skin – Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer Core Laminate Structures

The research presented in this paper aims to introduce the manufacturing process and quantify the mechanical properties and fracture behavior of laminate structures made of thin steel skins and carbon fiber reinforced polymer core. For the skins, AISI-304 and AISI-1008 steels have been utilized whereas, for the core, an epoxy-matrix high-modulus carbon fiber reinforced polymer woven (0°/90°) is employed. Skins and core are bonded by a thin layer of Araldite420 epoxy-based adhesive. The mechanical properties of the laminate material have been characterized by means of 3-point bending test and the laminate material concept has been also utilized for the realization of simplified automotive B-pillar profiles, whose bending performances have been compared with B-pillar specimens made only of steel, showing a 48% improvement in the maximum bearable load.