The structural materials of yachts include wood, steel, aluminium alloy, and fibreglass. For materials with the same strength, the lighter the weight means saving power and increasing speed, which is conducive to reducing emissions! The unique structure of the plastic honeycomb panel composite panel achieves the process requirements of greater strength and lighter weight by bonding surface panels with different strengths!
When selecting hull materials, in addition to mechanical properties, processability and economy are also important factors. In recent years, the impact of used materials and waste on the environment also needs to be evaluated due to the increasing awareness of environmental protection.
To sum up, the advantages of composite materials as shipbuilding materials are:
1. Lightweight
In addition to tensile strength and modulus, specific strength and specific modulus, the material required to achieve the same strength is very light in weight, and the specific strength is higher than that of metal materials, indicating that plastic honeycomb composite materials have excellent mechanical properties.
2. Good fatigue resistance
The fatigue damage of composite materials starts from the relatively weak fibres and gradually extends to the joint surface. The interface between the matrix and the reinforcing fibres can effectively organize the expansion of fatigue cracks, so it has good fatigue resistance. Generally, the tensile strength of metal materials is 40%-50%, while that of reinforced plastics is 70%-80%.
3. Non-magnetic
Composite materials are non-magnetic and will not be magnetized in a large magnetic field. Therefore, composite materials ships are not easily detected by the opponent's magnetic detectors and avoid magnetic mines and torpedo attacks. This is particularly important in the military.
4. Corrosion resistance
As long as the formula design of composite materials is reasonable, they have good corrosion resistance in acid, alkaline and many harsh environments. Boats made of composite materials do not need to be painted, and they will not corrode after sailing in seawater for several years, reducing maintenance such as painting. cost, long life
5. Designability
Composite materials can choose different polymers and reinforcing materials, different formulas, and different moulding processes to achieve different performances. The material layer and structure can be optimized and designed according to the structural requirements of different parts of the boat.
In addition, composite materials also have a series of advantages such as excellent high-temperature resistance and shock absorption, making plastic honeycomb composite materials have a variety of properties and have been widely used on ships.