Synergistically enhancing the electrical conductivity of carbon fibre reinforced polymers by vertical graphene and silver nanowires

Zhao Sha; Xinying Cheng; Mohammad S. Islam; Pichsinee Sangkarat; Wenkai Chang; Sonya A. Brown; Shuying Wu; Jin Zhang; Zhaojun Han; Shuhua Peng; Chun H. Wang

doi:10.1016/j.compositesa.2023.107463

Synergistically enhancing the electrical conductivity of carbon fibre reinforced polymers by vertical graphene and silver nanowires

Zhao Sha, Xinying Cheng, Mohammad S. Islam, Pichsinee Sangkarat, Wenkai Chang, Sonya A. Brown, Shuying Wu, Jin Zhang, Zhaojun Han, Shuhua Peng, Chun H. Wang^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Institute of Photonics

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer review

Abstract

Increasing the electrical conductivity of carbon fibre reinforced polymers (CFRPs) holds great promises for a range of applications, such as removing the need for metallic meshes in the protection against electromagnetic interference and lightning strikes. Herein, a hybrid method of improving the electrical conductivity of CFRPs by functionalizing carbon fibres with vertical graphene (VG) and modifying the matrix with silver nanowires (AgNWs) is introduced. The results revealed that the hybrid method increased the through-thickness and the in-plane electrical conductivities by almost 38 times and 39%, respectively, without adversely affecting mechanical properties. Finite element modelling revealed that the unprecedented synergy is due to the significant reduction in the contact resistance between carbon fibres by the combination of VGs on the fibres and the AgNWs in the matrix. Computational modelling showed that the electrical conductivity increase can reduce the joule heat density by around one thousand times under simplified lightning strike conditions.

Original language	English
Article number	107463
Journal	Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing
Volume	168
E-pub ahead of print	26 Jan 2023
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesa.2023.107463
Publication status	Published - May 2023

Keywords

Carbon fibre reinforced polymers
Electrical conductivity
Silver nanowires
Vertical graphene

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Ceramics and Composites
Mechanics of Materials

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10.1016/j.compositesa.2023.107463Licence: CC BY 4.0

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Sha, Z., Cheng, X., Islam, M. S., Sangkarat, P., Chang, W., Brown, S. A., Wu, S., Zhang, J., Han, Z., Peng, S., & Wang, C. H. (2023). Synergistically enhancing the electrical conductivity of carbon fibre reinforced polymers by vertical graphene and silver nanowires. Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing, 168, Article 107463. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesa.2023.107463

@article{2b1817031a914069a7b7235ceb3a6030,

title = "Synergistically enhancing the electrical conductivity of carbon fibre reinforced polymers by vertical graphene and silver nanowires",

abstract = "Increasing the electrical conductivity of carbon fibre reinforced polymers (CFRPs) holds great promises for a range of applications, such as removing the need for metallic meshes in the protection against electromagnetic interference and lightning strikes. Herein, a hybrid method of improving the electrical conductivity of CFRPs by functionalizing carbon fibres with vertical graphene (VG) and modifying the matrix with silver nanowires (AgNWs) is introduced. The results revealed that the hybrid method increased the through-thickness and the in-plane electrical conductivities by almost 38 times and 39%, respectively, without adversely affecting mechanical properties. Finite element modelling revealed that the unprecedented synergy is due to the significant reduction in the contact resistance between carbon fibres by the combination of VGs on the fibres and the AgNWs in the matrix. Computational modelling showed that the electrical conductivity increase can reduce the joule heat density by around one thousand times under simplified lightning strike conditions.",

keywords = "Carbon fibre reinforced polymers, Electrical conductivity, Silver nanowires, Vertical graphene",

author = "Zhao Sha and Xinying Cheng and Islam, {Mohammad S.} and Pichsinee Sangkarat and Wenkai Chang and Brown, {Sonya A.} and Shuying Wu and Jin Zhang and Zhaojun Han and Shuhua Peng and Wang, {Chun H.}",

note = "Funding Information: The authors are grateful to Electron Microscope Unit of UNSW for the use of facilities. This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors. ",

year = "2023",

month = may,

doi = "10.1016/j.compositesa.2023.107463",

language = "English",

volume = "168",

journal = "Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing",

issn = "1359-835X",

publisher = "Elsevier Ltd.",

}

Sha, Z, Cheng, X, Islam, MS, Sangkarat, P, Chang, W, Brown, SA, Wu, S, Zhang, J, Han, Z, Peng, S & Wang, CH 2023, 'Synergistically enhancing the electrical conductivity of carbon fibre reinforced polymers by vertical graphene and silver nanowires', Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing, vol. 168, 107463. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesa.2023.107463

TY - JOUR

T1 - Synergistically enhancing the electrical conductivity of carbon fibre reinforced polymers by vertical graphene and silver nanowires

AU - Sha, Zhao

AU - Cheng, Xinying

AU - Islam, Mohammad S.

AU - Sangkarat, Pichsinee

AU - Chang, Wenkai

AU - Brown, Sonya A.

AU - Wu, Shuying

AU - Zhang, Jin

AU - Han, Zhaojun

AU - Peng, Shuhua

AU - Wang, Chun H.

N1 - Funding Information: The authors are grateful to Electron Microscope Unit of UNSW for the use of facilities. This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

PY - 2023/5

Y1 - 2023/5

N2 - Increasing the electrical conductivity of carbon fibre reinforced polymers (CFRPs) holds great promises for a range of applications, such as removing the need for metallic meshes in the protection against electromagnetic interference and lightning strikes. Herein, a hybrid method of improving the electrical conductivity of CFRPs by functionalizing carbon fibres with vertical graphene (VG) and modifying the matrix with silver nanowires (AgNWs) is introduced. The results revealed that the hybrid method increased the through-thickness and the in-plane electrical conductivities by almost 38 times and 39%, respectively, without adversely affecting mechanical properties. Finite element modelling revealed that the unprecedented synergy is due to the significant reduction in the contact resistance between carbon fibres by the combination of VGs on the fibres and the AgNWs in the matrix. Computational modelling showed that the electrical conductivity increase can reduce the joule heat density by around one thousand times under simplified lightning strike conditions.

AB - Increasing the electrical conductivity of carbon fibre reinforced polymers (CFRPs) holds great promises for a range of applications, such as removing the need for metallic meshes in the protection against electromagnetic interference and lightning strikes. Herein, a hybrid method of improving the electrical conductivity of CFRPs by functionalizing carbon fibres with vertical graphene (VG) and modifying the matrix with silver nanowires (AgNWs) is introduced. The results revealed that the hybrid method increased the through-thickness and the in-plane electrical conductivities by almost 38 times and 39%, respectively, without adversely affecting mechanical properties. Finite element modelling revealed that the unprecedented synergy is due to the significant reduction in the contact resistance between carbon fibres by the combination of VGs on the fibres and the AgNWs in the matrix. Computational modelling showed that the electrical conductivity increase can reduce the joule heat density by around one thousand times under simplified lightning strike conditions.

KW - Carbon fibre reinforced polymers

KW - Electrical conductivity

KW - Silver nanowires

KW - Vertical graphene

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U2 - 10.1016/j.compositesa.2023.107463

DO - 10.1016/j.compositesa.2023.107463

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85147605151

SN - 1359-835X

VL - 168

JO - Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing

JF - Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing

M1 - 107463

ER -

Synergistically enhancing the electrical conductivity of carbon fibre reinforced polymers by vertical graphene and silver nanowires

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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