Abstract: A method of manufacturing a core for a composite material sandwich panel, the method comprising the steps of: providing a sheet of balsawood with opposite major surfaces, with vessels and axial parenchyma cells of the balsawood extending between the opposite major surfaces in a thickness direction of the sheet; coating a layer of a curable resin composition onto respective opposite major surfaces of the sheet of balsawood; and curing the curable resin composition, wherein the resin composition is applied and cured so that the coating layer of cured resin composition unevenly fills or only partly fills outermost ends of at least some of the vessels in the balsawood and thereby provides, at least in the vicinity of at least some of the vessels, a non-planar outer surface of the coating layer of the cured resin composition over the opposite major surfaces.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of AB block copolymer composition as a surface coating wherein the composition comprises (a) an AB block copolymer; and (b) a liquid medium and wherein the AB block copolymer comprises: (a) a substantially hydrophobic block A, and (b) a substantially hydrophilic block B wherein the hydrophobic block A comprises one or more monomer of formula (A) wherein R is H or C1 to C4 alkyl; Z is O, P or N; and R? is selected from the group comprising: C1 to C18 linear or non linear alkyl; C1 to C18 alkylamino alkyl; C1 to C18 dihydroxyalkyl; C1 to C18 silylalkyl; epoxy alkyl, phosphoryl or phosphoryl alkyl; a styrene based monomer; a vinyl phosphonate or phosphoric acid monomer; and wherein the liquid medium comprises either: (i) water; (ii) an organic solvent; (iii) an organic solvent substantially free from water; or (iv) an organic solvent and water; and wherein: the liquid medium further optionally comprises one or more additive, surfactant or wetting agent.