THINWALL COMPOSITES FOR ELECTRONIC ENCLOSURES

1 . A housing for an electronic device comprising:

a core layer comprising a first thermoplastic material;

a first skin layer comprising a second thermoplastic material located on a first side of the core layer;

a second skin layer comprising the second thermoplastic material located on a second side of the core layer opposite the first side;

wherein the core layer comprises a foam structure, a honeycomb structure, or combinations thereof;

wherein the thickness of the core layer is 30% to 75% of the total thickness of the housing, and wherein at least one of the following the core layer comprises 0 vol. % to 35 vol. % of a reinforcing material and 100 vol. % to 65 vol. % of the first thermoplastic material, based upon the total volume of the core layer; and

the first skin layer has a different viscosity, different molecular weight, different reinforcement loading, or combinations thereof, as compared to the second skin layer.

2 . A housing for an electronic device comprising:

a core layer comprising a first thermoplastic material;

a first skin layer comprising a second thermoplastic material located on a first side of the core layer;

a second skin layer comprising the second thermoplastic material located on a second side of the core layer opposite the first side;

wherein the core layer comprises a foam structure, a honeycomb structure, or combinations thereof;

wherein the thickness of the core layer is 30% to 75% of the total thickness of the housing, and wherein at least one of the following

the core layer comprises 0 vol. % to 35 vol. % of a reinforcing material and 100 vol. % to 65 vol. % of the first thermoplastic material, based upon the total volume of the core layer; and

the first skin layer has a different viscosity, different molecular weight, different reinforcement loading, or combinations thereof, as compared to the second skin layer.

3 . The housing of claim 1 , further comprising a frame connected to at least a portion of the core layer.

4 . The housing of claim 1 , wherein the total thickness of the housing is 0.5 millimeters to 1.5 millimeters.

5 . The housing of claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the core layer is 55% to 70% of the total thickness of the housing.

6 . The housing of claim 1 , wherein the first thermoplastic material comprises polycarbonate.

7 . The housing of claim 1 , wherein first thermoplastic material comprises 20% to 50% by weight glass fiber or wherein first thermoplastic material comprises 10% to 30% by weight short carbon filler.

8 . The housing of claim 1 , wherein the second thermoplastic material comprises inorganic fabric reinforced thermoplastic material.

9 . The housing of claim 1 , wherein the second thermoplastic material comprises inorganic fabric reinforced polypropylene, polyamide, polycarbonate, polyphenylene sulfide, polyetherimide, polyetheretherketone, and the like.

10 . The housing of claim 3 , wherein the coefficient of thermal expansion of the core layer differs from the coefficient of expansion of the frame by less than 10%.

11 . The housing of claim 1 , wherein the coefficient of thermal expansion of the core layer differs from the coefficient of expansion of the frame by less than 20%.

12 . The housing of claim 1 , wherein the core layer comprises a thermal conductivity of less than or equal to 0.02 W/mK.

13 . A method for making an electronic device housing comprising:

locating a first skin layer on a first side of an injection mold;

locating a second skin layer on a second side of an injection mold;

closing the mold;

injecting a first thermoplastic material between the first skin layer and the second skin layer to form a core layer;

opening the mold and removing a housing comprising the first skin layer, core layer, and second skin layer;

wherein the core layer comprises a foam structure, a honeycomb structure, or combinations thereof;

wherein the thickness of the core layer is 30% to 75% of the total thickness of the housing, and wherein at least one of the following

the core layer comprises 0 vol. % to 35 vol. % of a reinforcing material and 100 vol. % to 65 vol. % of the first thermoplastic material, based upon the total volume of the core layer; and

the first skin layer has a different viscosity, different molecular weight, different reinforcement loading, or combinations thereof, as compared to the second skin layer.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the core further comprises a frame extending beyond the first skin layer and second skin layer, wherein the frame comprises the first thermoplastic material.

15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein first skin layer and the second skin layer comprise a second thermoplastic material.

16 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the total thickness of the housing is 0.5 millimeters to 1.5 millimeters.

17 . The method of claim 13 , comprising:

locating the housing in an injection mold;

wherein the core layer has a through plane thermal conductivity of less than equal to 0.02 W/mK;

wherein the thickness of the core layer is 30% to 75% of the total thickness of

the housing;

closing the mold;

injecting a thermoplastic material around the housing to form a frame attached to the housing; and

opening the mold and removing the framed housing.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the thickness of the core layer is 55% to 70% of the total thickness of the housing.

19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the total thickness of the housing is 0.5 millimeters to 1.5 millimeters.

20 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the first thermoplastic material comprises polycarbonate; and wherein first thermoplastic material comprises 20% to 50% by weight glass fiber and/or 10% to 30% by weight short carbon filler.