Thin cylindrical honeycomb-structured aluminum alloy and mono-cast (MC) nylon were studied as superior energy-absorbing materials compared to metallic foams. Their energy-absorbing performance was assessed using a modified split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB). Key parameters included maximum impact acceleration (amax) and its reduction ratio (compared to the none-specimen case). The lowest amax reduction ratio was observed in bulk Al sheets without honeycomb cavities. As the cavity fraction increased up to 79% in honeycomb-structured Al specimens, the amax reduction ratio improved due to broadened stress-time curves with a shallow-plateau shape. This made high-cavity-fraction Al specimens preferable for higher-energy absorption and lighter-weight buffering materials. In nylon specimens, the amax reduction ratio increased until the fraction reached 52% due the softer and more deformable nature of the polymeric nylon. Thicker or rotated Al specimens also showed higher amax reduction ratios due to sufficient and continuous energy absorption. The modified SHPB demonstrated effective energy-buffering concepts and provided insightful amax interpretations, overcoming complexities in energy absorption analyses.
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