Fabrication and mechanical behaviors of quartz fiber composite honeycomb with extremely low permittivity

The mechanical properties and electromagnetic parameter of quartz fiber composite honeycombs (QFCH) with different equivalent densities were studied. Equivalent permittivity of the QFCH was inversed according to the transmission efficiency, which was tested by the Naval Research Laboratory Arch (NRL-arc) method. The strengths of QFCH under out-of-plane compressive and in-plane shear loading were predicted and measured. The failure mechanism map was established to predict the main failure modes of QFCH. Meanwhile, the numerical simulation was used to verify the accuracy of failure mechanism map. The QFCH designed in this study has extremely low permittivity and excellent mechanical properties, which has immense potential to be used as a 3-D metamaterial mechanical framework and more competitive in the vigorous development of new generation radomes.

Automated summary

The study focused on the mechanical properties and electromagnetic parameters of quartz fiber composite honeycombs (QFCH) with different equivalent densities. The equivalent permittivity of QFCH was determined based on transmission efficiency, and the strengths under various loading conditions were predicted and measured. A failure mechanism map was established to predict the main failure modes, and numerical simulation was used to verify the accuracy. The QFCH showed potential as a 3-D metamaterial mechanical framework for new generation radomes.