The bio‐sandwich composites are lightweight, economical, recyclable, and easily obtainable. Sandwich panels comprising glass fiber/epoxy face sheets and hemp fiber/epoxy core with varying fiber orientations, thickness, and montmorillonite nanoclay are prepared by stirring the epoxy/clay mixture to have uniform dispersion followed by compression molding. The sandwich and monolithic composites are loaded under quasi‐static punch shear. The sandwich panel with 3 wt.% nanoclay shows optimum quasi‐static tensile modulus and strength than the neat panel. Energy absorption, and specific energy absorption of sandwich panels G0/H(0)5/G0‐0%, G0/H(0)10/G0‐0%, G0/H(0)15/G0‐0% are 2%, 76%, 111%, and 28%, 132%, 183% higher than same weight glass/epoxy composites G(0)5‐0%, G(0)8‐0%, G(0)10‐0%. Energy absorption and specific energy absorption of panels G0/H(0)3/G0‐3%, G0/H(0)7/G0‐3%, G0/H(0)9/G0‐3% are similar, 25%, 24%, and 18%, 55%, 57% higher than same thickness composites G(0)5‐0%, G(0)8‐0%, G(0)10‐0%. The energy absorption of sandwich panel G0/90/H(0)15/G90/0‐0% is 49% lower than same weight composite G0/90/(0)9/90/0‐0%. Similar behavior is observed for panels with ±45° face sheets, 0° core, and 0°/90° face sheets, ±45° core compared to composites. Therefore, sandwich panels with 0° face sheets and core outperform composites and can replace them in structural applications in automotive. Particularly, panels show greater improvement over same‐weight composites than same‐thickness ones. Energy absorption of sandwich panels having 0° and ±45° cores is comparable while it is higher than a panel with 0°/90° core, each of 0°/90° face sheets. This is observed for monolithic composites as well.Highlights
The quasi‐static indentation response of bio‐sandwich composites is examined.
Bio‐sandwich composites outperform synthetic composites, each of the same weight.
Bio‐sandwich panels with 3 wt. % nanoclay perform better than the same thickness synthetic composites.
The behavior of sandwich and monolithic composites varies with fiber orientations.
