Electrical properties of a carbon/epoxy composite are investigated. First, the electrical resistance such as contact resistance at electrodes and the conductivity of the specimens are measured for unidirectional and cross-ply laminates at temperatures ranging from 25 to 200°C. Secondly, the temperature rise due to Joule heat is measured for those laminates. Thirdly, the change in the electrical resistance during the heat treatment is investigated to monitor the post-cure of the composite. Finally, it is confirmed that the transverse cracking in a cross-ply laminate at -100°C is constrained by Joule heat.
A polymer type silane coupling agent (PCA) and the blend of PCA with a low molecular type silane coupling agent (APS or AAPS) were used for the surface treatment of glass beads. Effects of PCA and the blending ratio of PCA/APS or PCA/AAPS on the mechanical properties of glass beads filled epoxy composites were investigated. The results obtained are as follows. (1) PCA is effective for the improvement of fracture toughness of the composite. (2) Both of the flexural modulus and flexural strength of the composite are improved by the blending of PCA with APS or AAPS, compared to the individual surface treatment by PCA, APS or AAPS. (3) Each of the flexural strength, fracture toughness and Izod impact strength of the composite shows a maximum at the blend ratio of PCA/APS = 50/50 or PCA/AAPS = 40/60.
Fiber-optic distributed sensors are candidates for sensing elements of structural health monitoring that improves reliability and safety of composite structures. Among fiber-optic sensors, Brillouin Optical Time Domain Reflectometer (BOTDR) can measure strain at an arbitrary position of a sensing fiber by detecting the variation in Brillouin frequency shift. In the case of the measurement based on the Brillouin frequency shift, however, it is difficult to detect the damage leading to nonuniform strain distributed within the length of the spatial resolution of BOTDR along a fiber. In this paper, we propose a new technique to detect the nonuniform strain changing sharply within the length of the spatial resolution. This technique is based on the fact that the profile of Brillouin gain spectrum changes depending on the strain distribution. We confirmed the fact theoretically and experimentally. The applicability of BOTDR to detecting the damage in composite structures was improved.