Effect of multiwall carbon nanotubes on the epoxy and carbon fiber reinforced nanocomposites, for self-sensing piezoresistive applications

The concept of structural health monitoring (SHM) is increasingly adopted by the composites industry, in order to meet strict safety and durability requirements and to minimize the occurrence of the unexpected structural failure of carbon fiber reinforced polymer components in various applications. Self-sensing is one of the favourably used techniques for SHM by measuring electrical resistance change of structural composite under loading. An electrically conductive polymer matrix is required to detect early matrixdominated failure modes in carbon fiber reinforced polymers (CFRP) composite using the strain-electrical resistance based self-sensing technique. Introducing carbon nanotubes (CNTs) into an insulating polymer matrix enables electrical conductivity to occur by percolating the CNT networks. Since there is no systematic understanding of how to use CNTs in CFRP for sensing strain and monitoring structural change under cyclic loading, evaluating the effects of adding CNTs to CFRP composites to improve strain self-sensing is the principal aim of this study...