Interfacial nanocomposite sensors (sQRS) for the core monitoring of polymer composites’ fatigue and damage analysis

Abstract

The quick development of the smart factory and prognostic and health management (PHM), in the fields of aeronautic, automotive and green energies, is evidencing a need for sensors able to monitor the behavior of composite materials all along their life at the closest of the matter. In situ fabricated conductive polymer nanocomposite (CPC) sensors are bringing an interesting solution to this prospect as they can be integrated homogeneously in the core of composites to probe their deformations and damage. In particular fatigue which is one important mode of failure of polymer composites can be monitored from early signs of damage until the final breakage by analyzing the piezo-resistive response of quantum resistive strain sensors (sQRS) made of carbon nanotubes. We have developed all these aspects in the paper taking the example of a classical glass fibers/epoxy composite instrumented in its core with two sQRS to monitor its short and long term fatigue behavior.