In situ curing of polymeric composites via resistive heaters comprised of aligned carbon nanotube networks

Thesis: S.M., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Mechanical Engineering, 2014.

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Lee, Jeonyoon
Other Authors: Brian L. Wardle.
Format: Thesis
Language:eng
Published: Massachusetts Institute of Technology 2015
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/93827
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author Lee, Jeonyoon
author2 Brian L. Wardle.
author_facet Brian L. Wardle.
Lee, Jeonyoon
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spelling mit-1721.1/938272019-04-12T21:43:37Z In situ curing of polymeric composites via resistive heaters comprised of aligned carbon nanotube networks Lee, Jeonyoon Brian L. Wardle. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Mechanical Engineering. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Mechanical Engineering. Mechanical Engineering. Thesis: S.M., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Mechanical Engineering, 2014. Cataloged from PDF version of thesis. Includes bibliographical references (pages 83-87). The widespread application of polymer matrix composites (PMCs) has encouraged the use of nanofibers, especially carbon nanotubes (CNTs), to concurrently enhance the physical properties of such composites while adding multi-functionality. However, current-generation manufacturing routes of PMCs have drawbacks including geometrical limitations and high energy utilization. Improvements to manufacturing processes are needed, and in this thesis the in situ curing of a PMC using a resistive heating film comprised of an aligned CNT network is developed, and the underlying physics that govern the electron transport properties of the aligned CNT network as a function of temperature and orientation are explored. Aligned CNT film heaters have anisotropic electrical properties and show negative coefficient of resistance with temperature. A carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) system is effectively cured by a single (top layer) CNT network heater. Evaluation of the curing efficacy (via degree of cure) shows that the in-plane spatial variation of the degree of cure directly correlates to maximum temperature during cure as evaluated with a thermal camera. Through-thickness spatial variation in degree of cure is found to be < 8% for the one-sided curing heater. Future work will include characterization and modeling of the underlying physics that govern the performance of aligned CNT networks as resistive heaters, exploration of possible methods to scale-up the in situ curing process to laminates with sizes on the order of meters, and evaluation of the structure and properties of composites manufactured using the method reported here to elucidate any difference in composite performance when compared to materials synthesized using current-generation techniques. by Jeonyoon Lee. S.M. 2015-02-05T18:26:02Z 2015-02-05T18:26:02Z 2014 2014 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/93827 900645390 eng M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission. http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582 87 pages application/pdf Massachusetts Institute of Technology
spellingShingle Mechanical Engineering.
Lee, Jeonyoon
In situ curing of polymeric composites via resistive heaters comprised of aligned carbon nanotube networks
title In situ curing of polymeric composites via resistive heaters comprised of aligned carbon nanotube networks
title_full In situ curing of polymeric composites via resistive heaters comprised of aligned carbon nanotube networks
title_fullStr In situ curing of polymeric composites via resistive heaters comprised of aligned carbon nanotube networks
title_full_unstemmed In situ curing of polymeric composites via resistive heaters comprised of aligned carbon nanotube networks
title_short In situ curing of polymeric composites via resistive heaters comprised of aligned carbon nanotube networks
title_sort in situ curing of polymeric composites via resistive heaters comprised of aligned carbon nanotube networks
topic Mechanical Engineering.
url http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/93827
work_keys_str_mv AT leejeonyoon insitucuringofpolymericcompositesviaresistiveheaterscomprisedofalignedcarbonnanotubenetworks