Dynamic compression response of self-reinforced poly(ethylene terephthalate) composites and corrugated sandwich cores

A novel manufacturing route for fully recyclable corrugated sandwich structures made from self-reinforced poly(ethylene terephthalate) SrPET composites is developed. The dynamic compression properties of the SrPET material and the out-of-plane compression properties of the sandwich core structure are investigated over a strain rate range 10−4-103 s−1. Although the SrPET material shows limited rate dependence, the corrugated core structures show significant rate dependence mainly attributed to micro-inertial stabilisation of the core struts and increased plastic tangent stiffness of the SrPET material. The corrugated SrPET cores have similar quasi-static performance as commercial polymeric foams but the SrPET cores have superior dynamic compression properties.