Improving electrical conductivity of composites aircraft structure wtih nanotechnology

High-performance fiber reinforced polymeric composite materials offer many advantages such high mechanical strength, dimensional and thermal stability, hardness, wear resistance and low density properties. However, when considering the electrical properties, the resin material in the polymeric composite has only only 1% conductivity properties according to metals. The fibers have high transmission characteristics. The reinforcement shape and direction of fiber with the angle between the electric current direction is important. In this study, in order to improve the electrical properties, varying amounts of carbon nanotubes and graphene nanoparticles was added in the thermoset epoxy resin. The change in electrical conductivity of these manufactured nanoparticles reinforced carbon / epoxy laminated composite was examined in the direction of the fiber, in the other direction and thickness direction. Alongside electrical conductivity, interlaminar shear strength of the produced composite were investigated.