Measuring Electromagnetic Responses of CFRP for Lightning Risk Management

Abstract

The electrical features of carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) were studied with experiments involving an Arago's disk, a backside electrode, a capacitor, and a box made of CFRP plates and bars. The Arago's disk rotation showed anisotropic characteristics due to the orientation of the carbon fiber in CFRP, while the surface discharging with a CFRP backside electrode was independent of the CFRP material. The through-plate resistance and capacitance of a CFRP plate were obtained from its frequency response, and imperfect insulation at CFRP surfaces did not obstruct the measurement. The electromagnetic field in the CFRP box generated by artificial lightning included high-frequency ringing related to the size of the box.