Polypropylene Honeycomb Core
also Nida-Core
Polypropylene Honeycomb Core (Nida-Core) is a thermoplastic PP honeycomb core, offered in four density grades from PP-HC-60 to PP-HC-150 plus scrim-faced, UV, flame-retardant, recycled and tube-core variants.
Reference datasheet — Polypropylene Honeycomb Core is not in the instant-quote catalog. Upload your part and an engineer will quote it in this grade or suggest the closest stocked equivalent.
Values for the PP-HC-80 condition
Polypropylene Honeycomb Core grades and fills
Polypropylene Honeycomb Core is supplied in 6 conditions, soft to hard. PP-HC-80 is the default FabDigit quotes; the values on this page are for it.
Compare all 6 grades and fillsHide
| Grade · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
60 kg/m³ | Lowest-cost, lightest grade for lightly loaded display panels, interior linings and packaging sandwich boards. | 0.35 | |||
Recycled-PP content core | Lowest cost and lowest embodied carbon; accept slightly lower and more scattered mechanical values. | 0.5 | |||
Flame-retardant grade | Specify for rail, bus and building interior panels needing EN 45545 / UL 94 V-0 class core behaviour. | 0.55 | |||
PP-HC-80Default 80 kg/m³ | The workhorse grade: best strength-to-cost balance for truck bodies, floors, boat and RV panels. | 0.6 | |||
110 kg/m³ | Pick when flatwise crush and skin-bonding pressure during pressing are high (container/trailer floors, pallets). | 0.9 | |||
150 kg/m³ | Highest crush resistance PP core for forklift-trafficked floors and local insert/hardpoint areas. | 1 |
Supply forms, finishes and certifications
Ways Polypropylene Honeycomb Core is supplied — form, process route, surface or paperwork — without a datasheet of their own. The property values above apply.
| Option | What it is | Type |
|---|---|---|
TUBE | Extruded-tube (round-cell) core, welded tube bundle | Supply form |
SCRIM | Scrim-faced | Surface finish |
UV | UV-stabilized | Grade option |
What is Polypropylene Honeycomb Core?
Polypropylene Honeycomb Core (Nida-Core) is a thermoplastic PP honeycomb core, offered in four density grades from PP-HC-60 to PP-HC-150 plus scrim-faced, UV, flame-retardant, recycled and tube-core variants. The default grade has a density of 0.08 g/cm³, an elastic modulus of 0.045 GPa and thermal conductivity of 0.05 W/m·K; it is chosen for chemically inert, moisture-proof, recyclable and low-cost sandwich panels in trucks, furniture and signage. Maximum service temperature is 80 °C and the non-polar surface must be treated or scrim-backed before bonding; use aluminium honeycomb for higher temperature or stiffness. Polypropylene Honeycomb Core has a density of 0.08 g/cm³ (0.0029 lb/in³), lighter than 90% of composite grades. Its glass-transition temperature is -10°C (14 °F). Polypropylene Honeycomb Core has a tensile strength of 0.6 MPa (0.087 ksi), weaker than 97% of composite grades. The elastic modulus is 0.05 GPa (0.0065 Msi).
What is Polypropylene Honeycomb Core used for?
- truck/trailer floor panels
- furniture and partition panels
- signage panels
- automotive interior panels
Advantages
- Good corrosion resistance — 95/100, better than 100% of composite grades
- Low embodied carbon — 2.1 kg CO₂/kg, better than 97% of composite grades
- Low moisture uptake — 0.05%, better than 94% of composite grades
- Lightweight — 0.08 g/cm³ (0.0029 lb/in³), better than 90% of composite grades
- Easy to machine — 80/100, better than 85% of composite grades
Limitations
- High mold shrinkage — 1.5%, worse than 100% of composite grades
- Low stiffness — 0.05 GPa (0.0065 Msi), worse than 95% of composite grades
- Limited service temperature — 80°C (176 °F), worse than 94% of composite grades
- Degrades in UV without stabilisers — 20/100, worse than 94% of composite grades
- Poor heat conductor — 0.05 W/m·K (0.0289 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 87% of composite grades
Polypropylene Honeycomb Core properties
Typical room-temperature values for Polypropylene Honeycomb Core-PP-HC-80; bars are the position among composite grades.
Physical5
Polypropylene Honeycomb Core has a density of 0.08 g/cm³ (0.0029 lb/in³), lighter than 90% of composite grades. Its glass-transition temperature is -10°C (14 °F).
Mechanical6
Polypropylene Honeycomb Core has a tensile strength of 0.6 MPa (0.087 ksi), weaker than 97% of composite grades. The elastic modulus is 0.05 GPa (0.0065 Msi).
Thermal11
Polypropylene Honeycomb Core is rated for continuous service to 80°C (176 °F). It conducts heat at 0.05 W/m·K (0.0289 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 87% of composite grades. Thermal expansion is 100 µm/m·K (55.6 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
Polypropylene Honeycomb Core has an electrical resistivity of 1×10¹⁴ Ω·m.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is excellent (95/100), better than 100% of composite grades. UV resistance is poor.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of Polypropylene Honeycomb Core takes about 80 MJ of energy and emits 2.1 kg of CO₂ — less than 84% of composite grades. Typical recycled content is 20%.
Manufacturability4
Polypropylene Honeycomb Core's machinability is very good (80/100, better than 85% of composite grades).
Common Calculations4
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Certified mill or lot data ships with every FabDigit order on request.
Strength versus weight in the composite family
Yield strength against density for every composite grade FabDigit runs. Polypropylene Honeycomb Core is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with Polypropylene Honeycomb Core
Is Polypropylene Honeycomb Core easy to machine?
Cuts easily with band saw, hot knife, CNC router or water jet; keep tools sharp and feed fast to avoid melt smearing, and support the core to prevent cell crushing.
Can Polypropylene Honeycomb Core be welded?
Cell walls are thermally weldable (hot-plate, ultrasonic, hot-air) to PP skins; no solvent bonding — PP cannot be solvent-cemented.
Can Polypropylene Honeycomb Core be formed, bent or molded?
Core is heat-formable/crushable to curves and can be co-pressed with PP-GF or thermoplastic skins at 170–200 °C; avoid dwell above 150 °C or the cell walls collapse.
Polypropylene Honeycomb Core chemical composition (wt %)
Limits by weight percent from the governing specification, written the way the spec states them — a single maximum for impurities, a range for alloying elements, and the base element as balance. Nominal is the typical mid-range value.
| Element | Spec limit (wt %) | Nominal |
|---|---|---|
| carbon black / UV stabilizerUV-stabilized (black) variants only | 0 – 2.5 | 0.5 |
| flame retardant packageFR variants only | 0 – 20 | 0 |
| PET/glass nonwoven scrimscrim-faced variants; typ. 20–100 g/m² per face | 0 – 15 | 0 |
| polypropylene (homopolymer/copolymer)extrusion-grade PP, cell-wall material | ≥ 95 (balance) |
What surface finishes work on Polypropylene Honeycomb Core?
Non-polar surface must be corona/flame/plasma treated or supplied with nonwoven scrim before PU, epoxy or PSA bonding; no painting or plating of the core itself.
Equivalent designations
Standards and trade names that resolve to Polypropylene Honeycomb Core in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
- Trade names
- Nida-Core
How much does Polypropylene Honeycomb Core cost?
Polypropylene Honeycomb Core is a standard-cost composite ($$), cheaper than about 71% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
Polypropylene Honeycomb Core — frequently asked
What is Polypropylene Honeycomb Core used for?
Polypropylene Honeycomb Core is typically used for truck/trailer floor panels, furniture and partition panels, signage panels and automotive interior panels. In short: lowest-cost moisture-proof core; recyclable thermoplastic honeycomb; 80 °C service ceiling.
What is the tensile strength of Polypropylene Honeycomb Core?
Polypropylene Honeycomb Core has a typical tensile strength of 0.6 MPa (0.087 ksi) — weaker than 97% of composite grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 6 listed tempers.
Is Polypropylene Honeycomb Core easy to machine?
Yes — machinability is rated very good (80/100, better than 85% of composite grades). Cuts easily with band saw, hot knife, CNC router or water jet; keep tools sharp and feed fast to avoid melt smearing, and support the core to prevent cell crushing.
Can Polypropylene Honeycomb Core be welded?
Cell walls are thermally weldable (hot-plate, ultrasonic, hot-air) to PP skins; no solvent bonding — PP cannot be solvent-cemented.
What surface finishes work on Polypropylene Honeycomb Core?
Non-polar surface must be corona/flame/plasma treated or supplied with nonwoven scrim before PU, epoxy or PSA bonding; no painting or plating of the core itself.
Can Polypropylene Honeycomb Core be formed, bent or molded?
Core is heat-formable/crushable to curves and can be co-pressed with PP-GF or thermoplastic skins at 170–200 °C; avoid dwell above 150 °C or the cell walls collapse.
What is the maximum service temperature of Polypropylene Honeycomb Core?
Polypropylene Honeycomb Core is rated for continuous use to about 80°C (176 °F), and briefly to 110°C. Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
How much does Polypropylene Honeycomb Core cost?
Polypropylene Honeycomb Core is a standard-cost composite ($$), cheaper than about 71% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
Sources
- PP honeycomb core (H8PP series) technical data — Nida-Core / 3A Composites (2022)
- ThermHex thermoplastic honeycomb core datasheets — EconCore / ThermHex Waben (2023)
- Tubus round-cell PP honeycomb core data — Tubus Bauer (2021)
- ASTM C365 – Flatwise Compressive Properties of Sandwich Cores — ASTM (2022)
- ASTM C273 – Shear Properties of Sandwich Core Materials — ASTM (2020)
- Engineered Materials Handbook Vol. 2 – Engineering Plastics — ASM International (1988)
- CAMPUS polypropylene resin datasheets — CAMPUS/CWFG (2023)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison; hardness values on non-Brinell scales are converted approximately for charting only. Manufacturability limits are FabDigit quote-engine defaults and may be relaxed by engineering review. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.