Abstract
In this study, thin carbon fiber-based conducting veils were used as interleaving materials to improve the through-thickness electrical conductivity of carbon fiber reinforced composites. Carbon fiber (CF) or nickel-coated carbon fiber (NiCF) veils were used as interlayers between standard carbon fiber reinforcement fabrics. The through-thickness electrical conductivity of the interleaved composites with CF or NiCF veils improved over 50 fold, from 0.18 to 9.47 and 9.16 S/cm, respectively, compared to the control specimens. However, the interleaved specimens exhibited a ca. 20%–24% reduction in their interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) and flexural strength. The introduction of conducting veils facilitated establishing an electrical pathway between the carbon fabric plies by reducing the non-conducting resin rich zone in the interlaminar region. This established an electrically conductive pathway across the thickness of the laminate. This study reveals that conducting veil-interleaved composites can meet a functional integration requirement of the aerospace sector for electrical properties, and can find applications in lightning protection, EMI shielding, and structural health monitoring.
Original language | English |
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Article number | e53060 |
Journal | Journal of Applied Polymer Science |
Volume | 139 |
Issue number | 43 |
Early online date | 27 Aug 2022 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 15 Nov 2022 |
Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)
- CFRP composites
- lightning strike protection
- microscopy
- through-thickness electrical conductivity
- veil interleaved composites