Development of Integrated Bionic Honeycomb Plates

Abstract:

This paper describes the processes of integrated bionic honeycomb plates: A beetle forewing has integrated honeycomb structure, which consists of trabecula-honeycomb and a frame. It is expected to lead to a molding method enabling the creation of an integrated trabecula-honeycomb structure; we have developed an integrated honeycomb plate.

• Periodical: Advanced Materials Research (Volumes 450-451)
• Pages: 817-821
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.450-451.817
• Online since: January 2012
• Authors: Jin Xiang Chen, Cheng Long Gu, Chun Feng Wan, Juan Xie, Xian Qi Hu, Shi Jie Guo
• Keywords: Beetle, Bionic, Honeycomb, Light Weight Composite, Sandwich, Wing

References

[22] -24]. The main point of this honeycomb technology is summarized as follows. Suppose each hexagonal space of the honeycomb is filled with a male tool and a continuous plate is built, then we divide the plate into assemblies consisting of a limited number of basic male tools and the honeycomb plate. Each basic male tool is similar to a finite element. By the above-mentioned process of making and removing molding tools, we can fabricate an integrated trabecula-honeycomb plate. Fig. 5 Bionic composite of integrated honeycomb. Taking a handmade trabecula-honeycomb plate as an example is shown Fig.5. The side surface of the trabeculae and the thickness of the honeycomb wall can be seen. With this example, we have succeeded in incorporating both short and long reinforcing fibers into an integrated molded [23,24]. Although Fig. 5 is a rough handmade sample, and fibers are not oriented as perfectly as those in beetle forewings, we have succeeded in incorporating both short and long reinforcing fibers into an integrated molded sample, i.e., we successfully built a platform for integrated molding and incorporated both short and long fibers as designed. With this platform, we can make honeycomb plates that are close to biological structures or the structures we expect by improving material composition, process, production technology, and so forth [24]. To summarize, using the integrated honeycomb production platform, it is easy to develop new technologies. For example, it is difficult to obtain curved honeycomb plates with the traditional manufacture method, while it is easy using this integrated technology. A diverse range of designs can be realized by changing the shape of the polygon in the honeycomb and the number and locations of trabeculae. The materials of a trabecula can be homogenous or not. If a trabecula is formed by composite materials, its mechanical strength can be enhanced by mixing different fibers [[] Z.S. Wu, X. Wang, K. Iwashita, T. Sasaki and Y. Hamaguchi: Composites Part B: Engineering, Vol. 41 (2010) NO.5, pp.396-402

[1] The forewing of beetle has the fully integrated honeycomb structure, which consists of honeycomb, trabeculae and a frame. It is expected to lead to a molding method enabling the creation of a bionic integrated trabecula-honeycomb structure.

[2] We have successfully developed an advanced integrated honeycomb plate.

[3] Although our first integrated honeycomb plate is rather crude, it can be improved by the optimizing key factors such as materials, molding tools and manufacturing processes. Acknowledgements This work was supported by the Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant 51173026 and the Jiangsu NSF (No.BK2010015). References