Enhanced energy absorption characteristics of novel integrated hybrid honeycomb/polystyrene foam

Abstract

Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) is commonly used as an inner liner for a bicycle helmet due to its outstanding energy absorption characteristic and light-weight property. The current investigation presents a novel technique to manufacture hybrid EPS/honeycomb structure foam using an integrated manufacturing approach to further enhance the energy dissipation properties for improved safety against head injuries. Different foam designs were analysed under curb-stone impact tests and the failure mechanisms are deliberated. Integrated EPS-honeycomb hybrid liners have shown up to 20% higher energy absorption, with the additional energy being absorbed in associated densification of foam and the elastic buckling features of the honeycomb.

A machine learning approach to estimate the strain energy absorption in expanded polystyrene foams

“…8,9 Due to its extensive use, nowadays, the EPS is considered a commodity in the materials sector. Furthermore, there are studies that present new advancements on it formulation methods or manufacturing techniques to increase its properties, such as strain energy absorption for protective applications, 10 or which make it more environmentally friendly. 11 About its microstructure, the EPS is a polymeric material that arranges closedcells that adjoin together across faces and edges.…”

Preparing low-Density microcellular polystyrene foam by in-Situ fibrillated PTFE and supramolecular nucleator TMC-300 in the presence of sc-CO2

“…Polystyrene (PS) foams, as a kind of lightweight material, has been widely applied in construction, insulation, packaging, sports facilities, and transportation. [1][2][3][4] Therefore, it also has a significant market share in the foam market. In addition, since PS is recyclable, its waste minimizing property makes research on PS foam materials essential.…”

Finite element-based optimisation of an elastomeric honeycomb for impact mitigation in helmet liners

“…The adoption of honeycomb structures within helmet design can improve user safety [19], [20]. Localised reinforcement [21], [22], exclusive use [23], or a hybrid combination of foam and honeycombs [24] provide superior performance relative to a monolithic equivalent. In all cases, the principal mechanisms leveraged to mitigate the impact energy are plastic deformation and material fracture.…”