Title: Characterizing the Effect of Transverse Strain on Carbon Nanotube Based Sensing Skins for Structural Health Monitoring

Authors: Sagar M. Doshi, Michael Coatney, Madison Weiss, Amit Chaudhari, Dae Han Sung, Erik T. Thostenson and Asha Hall

DOI: 10.33599/nasampe/s.20.0011

Abstract: Due to the advancement in the science of processing and characterization of nanostructured materials, along with the industrial-scale production and decreasing cost of carbon nanotubes, their use in technologies as sensors and sensing skins is gaining popularity. With increasing Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) and field trials implemented by researchers, it is critical to characterize the sensing response of the carbon nanotube sensing skins under complex loading scenarios in order to simulate the real-life conditions. Typically, researchers describe the sensitivity (gage factor, GF) and sensing response of a carbon nanotube sensing skin based on the electrical resistance change and the longitudinal strain (ε1), not taking into consideration the effect of transverse strain (ε2) due to the Poisson’s ratio of the material. Since the sensitivity of the sensor is dependent on the transverse strain, the sensitivity is affected by the properties of the substrate material. As a result, the calibration of the sensing skin is challenging. The principal objective of our research is to characterize the effect of transverse strain and develop a methodology to quantify the influence of transverse strain on the sensing response. The carbon nanotube-based sensing skins are manufactured using a scalable manufacturing technique and the effect of different loading scenarios on the sensing response are investigated. Carbon nanotubes are deposited on non-woven aramid fabrics with randomly oriented fibers and the resulting carbon nanotube-based sensing skin is bonded to steel and composite substrates which are subjected to flexural and axial loads to characterize the sensing response. A cruciform shaped specimen with a carbon nanotube sensor is tested using a biaxial testing machine and change in resistance under varying transverse loads is characterized. Key results indicate that the sensitivity of the carbon nanotube sensing skin is significantly affected by the transverse strain due to the Poisson effect which should be taken into consideration when calculating the gage factor or calibrating the sensors.

References: 1. Bassil, Antoine, et al. ""Distributed fiber optics sensing and coda wave interferometry techniques for damage monitoring in concrete structures."" Sensors 19.2 (2019): 356. doi.org/10.3390/s19020356 2. Enckell, Merit, et al. ""Evaluation of a large-scale bridge strain, temperature and crack monitoring with distributed fibre optic sensors."" Journal of Civil Structural Health Monitoring 1.1-2 (2011): 37-46. doi.org/10.1007/s13349-011-0004-x 3. Coleman, Jonathan N., et al. ""Small but strong: a review of the mechanical properties of carbon nanotube–polymer composites."" Carbon 44.9 (2006): 1624-1652. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.carbon.2006.02.038 4. Kausar, Ayesha, Irum Rafique, and Bakhtiar Muhammad. ""Review of applications of polymer/carbon nanotubes and epoxy/CNT composites."" Polymer-Plastics Technology and Engineering 55.11 (2016): 1167-1191. https://doi.org/10.1080/03602559.2016.1163588 5. An, Qi, et al. ""Tailored glass fiber interphases via electrophoretic deposition of carbon nanotubes: fiber and interphase characterization."" Composites Science and Technology 166 (2018): 131-139. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compscitech.2018.01.003 6. Doshi SM, Thostenson ET. Self-sensing carbon nanotube composites: processing and characterization. Multifunctionality of Polymer Composites: Challenges and New Solutions; 2015; Chapter 25, 752–84 https://doi.org/10.1016/C2013-0-13006-1 7. Nataraj, Latha, et al. ""Early-Stage Damage Detection in Advanced Multifunctional Aerospace Composites Using Embedded Carbon Nanotubes and Flocked Carbon Fibers."" Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute Proceedings. Vol. 2. No. 8. 2018. https://doi.org/10.3390/ICEM18-05386 8. Gao, Shang‐lin, et al. ""Glass fibers with carbon nanotube networks as multifunctional sensors."" Advanced Functional Materials 20.12 (2010): 1885-1893. https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.201000283 9. Sung, Dae Han, et al. ""Characterization of thermoelectric properties of multifunctional multiscale composites and fiber-reinforced composites for thermal energy harvesting."" Composites Part B: Engineering 92 (2016): 202-209. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesb.2016.02.050 10. Hu, Renchong, et al. ""Harvesting waste thermal energy using a carbon-nanotube-based thermo-electrochemical cell."" Nano letters 10.3 (2010): 838-846. https://doi.org/10.1021/nl903267n 11. Doshi, Sagar M., and Erik T. Thostenson. ""Thin and Flexible Carbon Nanotube-Based Pressure Sensors with Ultrawide Sensing Range."" ACS sensors 3.7 (2018): 1276-1282. https://doi.org/10.1021/acssensors.8b00378 12. Jiang, Shuwen, et al. ""An Ultra-wide Sensing Range and Highly Sensitive Flexible Pressure Sensor Based on Percolative Thin Film with Knoll-like Micro-structured Surface."" ACS applied materials & interfaces (2019). https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.9b02659 13. Zhang, Hao, et al. ""Flexible and Pressure-Responsive Sensors from Cellulose Fibers Coated with Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes."" ACS Applied Electronic Materials 1.7 (2019): 1179-1188. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsaelm.9b00182 14. Doshi, Sagar M., et al. ""Carbon Nanotube Coated Textile Sensors with Ultrahigh Sensitivity for Human Motion Detection"" Proceedings of the IEEE Sensors Conference, Montreal, Oct 27th-30th, 2019. 15. Doshi, Sagar M., et al. ""Carbon Nanotube Based Flexible Sensors for Human Motion Analysis."" Proceedings of the American Society for Composites—Thirty-fourth Technical Conference. Atlanta, Sep 23rd-25th, 2019. 16. Ahmed, Shafique, et al. ""Development of a novel integrated strengthening and sensing methodology for steel structures using CNT-based composites."" Journal of Structural Engineering 143.4 (2016): 04016202. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)ST.1943-541X.0001697 17. Schumacher, Thomas, and Erik T. Thostenson. ""Development of structural carbon nanotube–based sensing composites for concrete structures."" Journal of Intelligent Material Systems and Structures 25.11 (2014): 1331-1339. https://doi.org/10.1177/1045389X13505252 18. Dai, Hongbo, et al. ""Processing and characterization of a novel distributed strain sensor using carbon nanotube-based nonwoven composites."" Sensors 15.7 (2015): 17728-17747. https://doi.org/10.3390/s150717728 19. Ahmed, Shafique, et al. ""Integration of carbon nanotube sensing skins and carbon fiber composites for monitoring and structural repair of fatigue cracked metal structures."" Composite Structures 203 (2018): 182-192. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compstruct.2018.07.005 20. Kwon, Dong-Jun, et al. ""Damage sensing and fracture detection of CNT paste using electrical resistance measurements."" Composites Part B: Engineering 90 (2016): 386-391. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesb.2016.01.020 21. Ahmed, Shafique, et al. ""Experimental and numerical investigation on the bond strength of self-sensing composite joints."" International Journal of Adhesion and Adhesives 84 (2018): 227-237. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijadhadh.2018.03.014 22. Skinner, Travis, et al. ""Fatigue damage behavior in carbon fiber polymer composites under biaxial loading."" Composites Part B: Engineering (2019): 106942. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesb.2019.106942

Conference: SAMPE 2020 | Virtual Series

Publication Date: 2020/06/01

SKU: TP20-0000000011

Pages: 13

Price: FREE