Building Life-Cycle Enhancement Multifunctionality into Glass Fiber Reinforced Composite Laminates via Hierarchical Assemblies of Aligned Carbon Nanotubes

Abstract

For aerospace vehicles, where weight reduction is important, studies have been performed on composites to include different functionalities besides their primary structural function. Some of these functionalities include energy savings, self-health monitoring, ice protection system, and self-curing sensing capabilities, and have been demonstrated individually in carbon fiber reinforced polymer composites. Nano-engineering techniques enable integrating these functionalities in composite systems to add multifunctionalities with insignificant changes in dimension or weight of the composite system, while ensuring that the mechanical properties such as strength are maintained or enhanced. Here, glass fiber reinforced polymer composites are nanoengineered to add multiple multifunctionalities concurrently via hierarchical assemblies of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes. In this preliminary study, the nanoengineering of the composite suggests life-cycle enhancements via an increase in interlaminar shear strength.

Influence of the Nanostitch Sensor Embedment on the Fibrous Microstructure of Glass Fiber Prepreg Laminates

“…The observed stability of the microstructural parameters of the laminate after the embedment of the nanostitch ensures that the laminate with the embedded sensor fully preserves its geometrical and mechanical properties. The measurement of the short beam strength of the nanostitched laminates, reported elsewhere [ 15 , 16 , 23 ], fully confirms this conclusion.…”

“…The purpose of this film was to create electrical and thermal functionality of the laminate. The reader is referred to [ 15 , 16 , 23 ] for detailed information on the sample production.…”

“…Vertically aligned carbon nanotubes (VACNTs, or “nanostitch”) embedded into a composite laminate interface present a known multi-functional solution for damage sensing and out-of-autoclave conductive curing [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ] accompanied by the improvement of interlaminar fracture toughness and in-plane strength [ 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 ]. Mostly applied to carbon fiber laminates, VACNT interleaves were recently introduced in glass fiber laminates [ 15 , 16 ], which widens the range of applications to such industries as wind energy and shipbuilding.…”