Sandwich and Natural fiber composites - A review

Sandwich composite is a special form of a laminated composite comprising a combination of different materials that are bonded to each other so as to utilize the properties of each separate component to the structural advantage of the whole assembly. Usually a sandwich structure consists of two relatively thin, stiff and strong faces separated by a relatively thick lightweight core, for instance, honeycomb, balsa or foam cores. The purpose of sandwich structure is to achieve a stiff and simultaneously light component. A natural fiber composite also plays a vital role in automotive and construction filed due to their bio degradable behaviour and ease of manufacturing. This paper reviews sandwich structures, various tests performed on it and their properties along with some studies of mechanical behaviour of natural fiber composites. Major applications of the sandwich specimens are also highlighted in this work.