Structural shell

A method of manufacturing a structural shell, the structural shell comprising a basalt fibre-reinforced material, wherein the basalt fibre-reinforced material comprises a polymer material, the polymer material being capable of at least partially thermally cracking at a temperature of from 200 to 600° C., and wherein the polymer material comprises a polymethacrylate, the method comprising:

• providing a mould;
• introducing basalt fibres into the mould;
• contacting the basalt fibres with a mixture comprising a resin, the resin comprising methacrylate monomers, and a hardening agent at a relative pressure of −0.65 bar or less to form a structural shell;
• and
• recovering the structural shell from the mould;
• wherein the method further comprises introducing a polymer core, a balsa core, or aluminium core into the mould prior to contacting the basalt fibres with the mixture.