Multifunctional composites using reinforced laminae with carbon-nanotube forests

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Composite Engineering

Background:

• Traditional fiber-reinforced composites exhibit poor out-of-plane properties, limiting their use in applications requiring through-thickness strength.
• Existing 3D composite designs with orthogonal fibers have shown limited success in overcoming transverse weaknesses.
• A need exists for innovative methods to enhance the through-thickness performance of composite materials.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel approach for improving the through-thickness properties of 3D composite materials.
• To investigate the potential of interlaminar carbon-nanotube forests for enhancing composite performance.
• To create multifunctional 3D composites with improved mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties.

Main Methods:

• Growing multiwalled carbon nanotubes on micro-fiber fabric surfaces, normal to fiber lengths.
• Utilizing nanotube-coated fabrics as building blocks for multilayered 3D composites.
• Evaluating the performance of fabricated 3D composites under various loading conditions.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated significant improvements in interlaminar fracture toughness and delamination resistance.
• Observed enhanced hardness, in-plane mechanical properties, and damping capabilities.
• Achieved superior thermoelastic behavior, thermal conductivity, and electrical conductivity, confirming multifunctional properties.

Conclusions:

• Interlaminar carbon-nanotube forests offer a promising strategy to overcome the limitations of traditional 3D composites.
• This method enhances critical through-thickness properties and introduces multifunctionality without altering the 2D stack design.
• The developed 3D composites exhibit a remarkable combination of mechanical, thermal, and electrical performance.