MSE Colloquium

Multifunctional continuous carbon fiber polymer-matrix composite materials for thermoelectricity, heat dissipation and strain/damage monitoring

Deborah Chung, Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, SUNY/Buffalo

Abstract

Polymer-matrix composites containing a high proportion of continuous aligned carbon fibers as the reinforcement are the dominant advanced lightweight structural materials for aircraft, satellites, sporting goods, etc.   Although their structural performance is well established, the multifunctionality of these materials is a topic of active research.  Multifunctionality means the ability to provide both structural and nonstructural functions.  It allows the structure to be inherently smart, without the need to embed or attach devices.   Compared to the use of embedded or attached devices, a multifunctional structural material is advantageous in the low cost, high durability, large functional volume and absence of mechanical property loss.  Nonstructural functions to be addressed in this seminar include the conversion of heat to electricity (i.e., thermoelectricity), heat dissipation and strain/damage monitoring.  The energy conversion allows the structure to be self-powered.  The heat dissipation is important due to the increasing thermal load of aircraft. The monitoring is needed for structural health monitoring, load monitoring and vibration sensing.  The attainment of these functions requires the exploitation of thermoelectric, thermal conduction, electrical conduction and piezoresistive properties, which are aspects that have received relatively little attention in relation to structural materials.  This seminar addresses the materials science of such multifunctionality.