5052 H18 Алюмінієва фольга для стільникового ядра: Сила, Sizes and Standards

Вступ

When an aluminum honeycomb panel must carry real load, survive outdoor or marine service and stay flat for decades, the core is usually built from 5052 H18 aluminum foil rather than the softer, дешевше 3003.
5052 is an aluminum-magnesium alloy with far higher strength and excellent corrosion resistance, and the full-hard H18 temper gives the thin cell walls the rigidity needed for high compression and shear performance.

This guide explains why 5052 H18 foil is used for honeycomb cores, its composition and mechanical properties, how the foil is converted into a core, the cell sizes, densities and strength values to specify, the relevant aerospace and ASTM test standards, як 5052 compares with 3003 і 5056, and how to order factory-direct.

Що Є 5052 H18 Фольга?

5052 is a non-heat-treatable 5xxx-series alloy containing about 2.2–2.8% magnesium plus a small chromium addition; it is strengthened by cold work.

The H18 temper means the foil has been strain hardened to its full-hard condition without subsequent annealing, so it is at its stiffest. Hard foil is ideal for a core because:

• A honeycomb core carries compression and shear rather than being deep-drawn, so it needs high yield strength to stop the thin cell walls from buckling.
• The foil is only printed with node adhesive, stacked, sliced and expanded—it is not severely formed after rolling, so the low elongation of H18 is not a problem.
• Hard H18 walls keep the hexagonal cells uniform during expansion and panel pressing and raise the finished core’s stabilized compression and shear strength.

H19 (надзвичайно жорсткий) is sometimes specified for very thin, high-strength foil, while H38 is a stabilized equivalent; H18 remains the most common commercial full-hard honeycomb temper.

Хімічний склад і механічні властивості

елемент	Mg	кр	Fe	І	Cu	Мн	Zn	Ал
5052	2.2–2.8	0.15–0.35	≤0,40	≤0,25	≤0,10	≤0,10	≤0,10	баланс

 

Magnesium provides the strength, chromium controls grain structure and corrosion behavior, and iron and silicon are kept low for toughness.

Typical foil properties by temper (values rise in thin, fully hard gauges; some mills measure about 319 MPa tensile on 5052 H18 core foil):

Вдача	Розтягнення (МПа)	Врожайність (МПа)	Подовження
О (відпалений)	блок. 130–170	блок. 50–90	18–25%
H14	блок. 195–230	блок. 140–170	7–12%
H18 (повний жорсткий)	блок. 250–320	блок. 215–305	about 2–7%

 

Density is about 2.68 г/см³. Always confirm the tensile, yield and elongation range on the mill certificate for the exact gauge.

Від фольги до стільникового ядра

Converter production prints parallel lines of node adhesive onto the foil, stacks many sheets, cures the block, slices it to core thickness and expands it into hexagonal cells.

Foil for 5052 cores typically runs about 0.03–0.13 mm (30–130 μm, commonly 0.04–0.06 mm); the foil is often chromated or otherwise conversion-coated to strengthen the adhesive node bonds and improve corrosion resistance.

Параметр	Typical range
Товщина фольги	about 0.03–0.13 mm (зазвичай 0.04 / 0.05 / 0.06 мм)
Cell size	1/4″ (6.4), 3/8″ (9.5), 1/2″ (12.7), 3/4″ (19), 1″ (25 мм)
Core thickness	about 5–200 mm (deeper on request)
Supply form	unexpanded block/strip or expanded slice; perforated or solid; slotted
Maximum sheet	commonly up to roughly 1200–2000 mm wide by 2000–3000 mm long

Core Density, Strength and Test Standards

Smaller cells and thicker foil raise density and strength. Indicative expanded-core values (exact figures depend on alloy, foil gauge and supplier):

Cell size	Щільність (кг/м³)	Flatwise compression (МПа)	Crush strength (МПа)
1/4″	приблизно 81	блок. 0.47	блок. 0.19
3/8″	приблизно 54	блок. 0.26	блок. 0.08
1/2″	приблизно 38	блок. 0.14	блок. 0.05
3/4″	приблизно 30	блок. 0.09	блок. 0.03
1″	приблизно 31	блок. 0.05	блок. 0.02

 

5052 cores deliver higher shear (both ribbon L and transverse W directions), fatigue and impact performance than 3003 at the same density.

Aerospace cores are qualified to AMS-C-7438 (formerly MIL-C-7438); node-bond strength is tested per ASTM C363, plate shear per ASTM C273, flatwise compression per ASTM C365 and facing adhesion per ASTM C297.

Specify the standard and whether typical or minimum values are required.

Типові програми

• Architectural curtain-wall and facade honeycomb panels that must stay flat and weather outdoors.
• Rail and transit wall, floor and ceiling panels for high-speed trains and metros (легкий, stiff, compatible with fire requirements).
• Aerospace floors, interiors and control surfaces, plus marine bulkheads and furniture where salt resistance matters.
• Equipment cabinets, clean-room and elevator panels, меблі, acoustic structures, wind and automotive lightweight parts.

5052 проти 3003 і 5056

сплав / темперамент	Foil tensile	Сила	Корозія	Best fit
3003 H18	блок. 165–200 MPa	Середній	добре	Economical architectural and decorative cores
5052 H18/H19	блок. 250–320 MPa	Високий	Чудово	Outdoor, морський, transit and structural cores
5056 H18	higher again	Дуже високо	Чудово	Premium aerospace cores at maximum strength

 

Виберіть 3003 for cost in mild indoor or general cladding, 5052 when strength, fatigue and corrosion drive the design, і 5056 only where the highest aerospace performance justifies the price.

5052 forms slightly less easily than 3003, but this is irrelevant once the foil is expanded into a core.

Технічні характеристики, Yield and Ordering

At about 2.68 г/см³, g/m² = thickness (мкм) × 2.68, so foil area per ton is easy to estimate for material planning:

Foil gauge	г/м²	прибл. m² per ton
30 мкм	80	12,400
40 мкм	107	9,330
50 мкм	134	7,460
60 мкм	161	6,220
100 мкм	268	3,730

 

Quality control covers gauge and width tolerances, якість поверхні, tensile/yield by temper, chemistry on the MTC and, for finished cores, щільність, node bond and shear/compression values, with ISO 9001 and SGS/BV inspection available.

To order foil, send alloy and temper (5052 H18), калібр, width and roll dimensions, основний ідентифікатор, chromate/coating needs and quantity; for finished cores add cell size, core thickness, щільність, standard and expanded or block form.

Common terms are 30% deposit with the balance against the bill of lading, FOB/CFR/CIF.

Часті запитання

Q: Why use 5052 H18 foil instead of 3003 for honeycomb?

А: 5052 H18 is substantially stronger with better fatigue and corrosion (в тому числі морські) продуктивність, so the core gives higher compression and shear for outdoor, transit, marine and structural panels; 3003 is chosen mainly for lower cost in general cladding.

Q: Why the full-hard H18 temper?

А: A core needs stiff, high-yield cell walls and is not deep-drawn after rolling, so full-hard foil maximizes compression and shear while keeping cells uniform during expansion.

Q: What foil thickness and cell size are standard?

А: Core foil commonly runs 0.03–0.13 mm (often 0.04–0.06 mm) with cells of 1/4″, 3/8″, 1/2″, 3/4″ or 1″; smaller cells and thicker foil give denser, stronger cores.

Q: Which standards apply?

А: Aerospace cores use AMS-C-7438; node bond is ASTM C363, shear ASTM C273, compression ASTM C365 and facing adhesion ASTM C297, with mill and core test certificates.

Q: Do you supply foil only or finished cores?

А: Both—5052 H18 foil in jumbo or slit rolls for converters, and expanded or unexpanded finished honeycomb cores cut to cell size, density and thickness.

Q: Що таке MOQ і час виконання?

А: Foil MOQ is commonly several tons per specification and finished cores depend on size and volume, with samples and trial orders available; lead time varies with gauge, quantity and coating.

Висновок

5052 H18 is the high-strength, corrosion-resistant foil behind premium aluminum honeycomb cores for architecture, rail, aerospace and marine use.

Its full-hard walls deliver the compression, shear and fatigue that 3003 cannot, while staying lighter and stiffer than almost any alternative.

Specify foil gauge, розмір комірки, core density and the test standard, and buy on certificates and approved samples rather than price alone.