Carbon nanotube-decorated glass fibre bundles for cure self-monitoring and load self-sensing of FRPs

Abstract

Extra to serving as the reinforcement in polymer-based composites, glass fibres (GFs) are decorated with dense and uniform carbon nanotubes (CNTs) via chemical vapor deposition at a low CNT growth temperature (500 °C). The hairy CNT-decorated GF bundles measure the dynamic variation in electrical resistance using CNT-formed piezoresistive networks in the bundles, with which the resin flow front and cure progress of epoxy during fabrication are self-monitored by the composites. The bundles also precisely sense in-service loads applied to the composites, with a gauge factor as high as 30.2. Without intrusion to the original composites from sensors and sensor-associated electrodes/cables, the CNT-decorated GF bundles shed light on the use of nanocomposite-driven fibre decoration towards development of new functional composites.