Multifunctional architectured materials for electromagnetic absorption

A sandwich structure involving a honeycomb core filled with a carbon nanotube-reinforced polymer foam and glass fiber-reinforced composite face sheets has been developed in order to combine high electromagnetic absorption and high mechanical performance. The large electromagnetic absorption is attained by simultaneously minimizing the reflection and transmission, which, in terms of effective material properties, requires a low dielectric constant and a conductivity around 1 S m−1. The sandwich offers also high stiffness versus density performance.