Low-velocity impact response of sandwich structures with cores made from entangled metallic wire material - silicone rubber composites

This work is devoted to investigate the mechanical properties of entangled metallic wire material-silicone rubber composites (EMWM-SRC) sandwich structures. The core material involves the infiltration of silicone rubber (SR) into the pores of entangled metallic wire material (EMWM) through vacuum compression. Low-velocity impact tests were conducted to compare dynamic responses and energy absorption characteristics. Additionally, visual observation and computerized tomography scans were employed to characterize the damage mechanisms. It was observed that the sandwich structures did not perforate at 40-100 J impact energies, demonstrating outstanding energy absorption (97.5 %). Further explorations were conducted to explore the influence of EMWM density, wire diameter, and facesheet thickness. The results revealed that an increase in matrix density and wire diameter enhances the sandwich structure's impacts resistance but was accompanied by a decrease in energy absorption capacity. Notably, the energy absorption efficiency of the proposed sandwich structures consistently remains at a high level (88 %). Furthermore, facesheet thickness was identified as a significant factor affecting the sandwich structure. Finally, the superiority of the EMWM-SRC sandwich structure in enhancing impact resistance was validated by comparing it with individual EMWM and SR sandwich structures. These findings of this work offer valuable guidance for designing novel sandwich structures with excellent impact resistance.