On the use of electrical conductivity for the assessment of damage in carbon nanotubes enhanced aerospace composites

Abstract

In this chapter a review on the research of nano-enabled self-sensing structural composite materials is performed. The self-sensing concept is attained by exploiting the intrinsic electrical properties of a structural composite material. Recent research on self-sensing was stimulated by the introduction of nanotechnology in the field of composite materials. Nano-scale fillers such as carbon nanotubes (CNTs), due to their excellent electrical properties, may offer benefits of additional reinforcing phase acting at the nano-scale. The research may be divided into two distinctive categories depending on the type of fibre reinforcement. One category is the research that used electrically non-conductive glass fibre reinforced plastics (GFRP) where carbon nanotubes in various forms are incorporated into the composite to enable sensing. The other category is the research that used electrical conductive carbon fibre reinforced plastics (CFRP) where the carbon nanotubes in various forms are used to enhance the electrical sensing capabilities of the composite. © Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2013.