Deformation monitoring of aluminum based composites with embedded surface oxidized metal fiber

Abstract

This paper describes development of simple strain sensors to be embedded in aluminum and its composites. In this study, nickel wire and titanium wire were selected because they were easily covered with uniform oxide layers by oxidation in air and they wrought as insulators when they were embedded in aluminum matrix. Effects of diameter of wire and type of wire on sensitivity of strain measurement when tensile tested were investigated and the following results were obtained. (1) Sensitivity of strain measurement by NiO/Ni composite fiber embedded in aluminum matrix increased by decreasing its diameter. (2) TiO_2/Ti composite fiber could also be successfully embedded in aluminum plate by hot pressing in air without damage. Its sensitivity of strain measurement was twice as high as that of NiO/Ni fiber of the same diameter.