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Updated: Aug 5, 2026

Fabrication and Design of Wood-Based High-Performance Composites
Published on: November 9, 2019
High Compression Performance and Energy Absorption of Wood-Based Grid Sandwich Structure with Jute Fabric/Epoxy
Xue Wang1, Hanxiang Guo2, Xiaohong Yu1
1College of Chemistry and Materials Engineering, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China.
A novel wood-based grid sandwich structure using jute fabric reinforced composite cores offers high strength and energy absorption. This sustainable material shows performance comparable to advanced composites, presenting a promising alternative for structural applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Composite Materials
- Structural Engineering
Background:
- Developing lightweight, high-performance structural materials is crucial for various industries.
- Traditional composite sandwich structures often rely on energy-intensive or non-renewable materials.
- Jute fabric offers a sustainable, bio-based reinforcement option for composites.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and characterize a novel wood-based grid sandwich structure.
- To evaluate the mechanical and energy absorption properties of jute fabric-reinforced epoxy laminated composite (JFRELC) cores.
- To compare the performance of the developed structure with existing composite sandwich materials.
Main Methods:
- Preparation of grid sandwich structures with KH-560-modified jute fabric-reinforced epoxy laminated composite (JFRELC) cores.
- Compression testing of pure grid cores and grid sandwich structures.
- Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analysis to investigate failure mechanisms.
Main Results:
- The JFRELC-80# core demonstrated superior performance in the grid sandwich structure, utilizing a tenon-and-mortise linking method.
- The wood-based grid sandwich structure exhibited load-bearing capacity and energy absorption comparable to glass and carbon fiber reinforced composites.
- Identified failure modes included panel cracking, core buckling, and core collapse, with jute fabric failure mechanisms involving fiber pull-out and splitting.
Conclusions:
- The developed wood-based grid sandwich structure offers a high load-to-mass ratio and specific strength.
- JFRELC-80# is a suitable core material for high-performance grid sandwich structures.
- This sustainable composite sandwich structure presents a viable alternative to conventional materials, with potential advantages in specific applications.
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