Three-layered sandwich material for lightweight applications

Multifunctionality and the demand for improving the properties of construction materials make it necessary to leave the approach of monomaterials and combine them to fabricate composite structures, such as combinations of metals with polymers. This article focuses on metal–polymer–metal sandwich sheets. Bonding is improved using adhesive layers. These sandwich sheets are designed for their mechanical and thermal properties, working capacity and so on. A short background of composites structures, to be used in the automotive and aerospace industry, is presented. Moreover, fabricating processes and forming methods for composites are briefly introduced. Finally, a study of 316L/polypropylene/316L sandwich sheets, manufactured in a roll-bonding process and heating press process, is introduced. Their mechanical behavior and formability by deep drawing are discussed.