3D Printed Carbon Fiber Meta-Skins Improve Impact Mitigation in Foam-Core Composites

Why It Matters

The findings show that 3D‑printed continuous‑fiber meta‑skins can be engineered to optimize energy absorption across different impact regimes, opening pathways for lighter, higher‑performance composite structures in aerospace, automotive and defense markets.

Summary

Researchers at San Diego State University have used automated tow placement to 3D‑print pseudo‑woven continuous carbon‑fiber skins, called meta‑skins, for foam‑core composites. In low‑velocity drop‑tower tests (4.43 m/s), a monocoque configuration with a single skin absorbed nearly 100 % of the impact energy and outperformed conventional cross‑ply laminates by about 15 %. At moderate velocities (15 m/s) in a shock‑tube test, a sandwich configuration with two skins reduced peak force by roughly 26 % compared with the monocoque, thanks to better stress‑wave confinement. The study demonstrates that impact mitigation can be tuned by fiber architecture and structural layout, highlighting the potential of additively manufactured continuous‑fiber composites for load‑bearing applications.