Author(s):
Lopes, Cláudia Jesus Ribeiro ; Araújo, Andreia ; Silva, Fernando ; Pappas, Panagiotis-Nektarios ; Termine, Stefania ; Trompeta, Aikaterini-Flora A. ; Charitidis, Costas A. ; Martins, Carla I. ; Mould, Sacha Trevelyan ; Santos, Raquel M.
Date: 2024
Persistent ID: https://hdl.handle.net/1822/93307
Origin: RepositóriUM - Universidade do Minho
Project/scholarship:
info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/FCT/6817 - DCRRNI ID/UIDB%2F50022%2F2020/PT;
Subject(s): Carbon fiber-reinforced polymer composites; Nanomaterials; Self-sensing; Damage detection; Structural health monitoring; Nanocomposites; Geometric features
Description
High electrical conductivity, along with high piezoresistive sensitivity and stretchability, are crucial for designing and developing nanocomposite strain sensors for damage sensing and on-line structural health monitoring of smart carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites. In this study, the influence of the geometric features and loadings of carbon-based nanomaterials, including reduced graphene oxide (rGO) or carbon nanofibers (CNFs), on the tunable strain-sensing capabilities of epoxy-based nanocomposites was investigated. This work revealed distinct strain-sensing behavior and sensitivities (gauge factor, GF) depending on both factors. The highest GF values were attained with 0.13 wt.% of rGO at various strains. The stability and reproducibility of the most promising self-sensing nanocomposites were also evaluated through ten stretching/relaxing cycles, and a distinct behavior was observed. While the deformation of the conductive network formed by rGO proved to be predominantly elastic and reversible, nanocomposite sensors containing 0.714 wt.% of CNFs showed that new conductive pathways were established between neighboring CNFs. Based on the best results, formulations were selected for the manufacturing of pre-impregnated materials and related smart CFRP composites. Digital image correlation was synchronized with electrical resistance variation to study the strain-sensing capabilities of modified CFRP composites (at 90◦ orientation). Promising results were achieved through the incorporation of CNFs since they are able to form new conductive pathways and penetrate between micrometer-sized fibers.
This research was funded by SmartFan–Smart by design and intelligent by architecture for turbine blade fan and structural components systems, financed and supported by the European Union under grant agreement n. 760779 and Cost Action “High-performance carbon-based composites with Smart properties for Advanced Sensing Applications” (EsSENce) CA 19118. R.M.S. would like to acknowledge Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) for its financial support via the project UIDB/50022/2020 (LAETA Base Funding).
