Session: 01-02-02: Adaptive and Multifunctional Structures

Paper Number: 121586

121586 - Electrical Characterization and Electromagnetic Interference Shielding Properties of Hybrid Buckypaper Reinforced Polymer Matrix Composites 

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the utilization of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) to enhance electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding capabilities within aerospace structures. Previous research has focused on doping CNTs into the composite matrix to improve the electrical conductivity of fiber-reinforced composites, thereby enhancing their shielding effectiveness (SE). Buckypaper (BP), a thin membrane made of highly cross-linked CNTs, provides a more effective way to enhance EMI properties due to its higher weight fraction and uniform dispersion of CNTs. However, minimal work has been reported in modeling and experimentally demonstrating the capabilities of BP and BP-reinforced composites. The primary focus of this paper is to evaluate the SE exhibited by hybrid buckypaper/carbon fiber composites. The SE of the BP samples was modeled using Ansys high frequency structure simulator (HFSS) by simulating electromagnetic wave transmission through a semi-infinite shield representative volume element. Results were obtained for the frequency spectrum spanning very high to the X band, ranging between 30 MHz and 12 GHz. Quantum tunneling-based Monte Carlo simulations are employed for characterizing the electrical properties of the carbon fiber ply and the results are used as effective lamina properties in the numerical model. The numerical simulations illustrate that including BP leads to significant improvement in the SE of carbon fiber-reinforced composites. This enhancement can be attributed to the high conductivity of BP, which contributes to the reflective shielding component. Furthermore, this study conducts a comparative analysis to assess the SE of buckypaper against alternative techniques, including the integration of metallic layers and the utilization of a conductive matrix. Finally, experiments are conducted following the ASTM D4935 standard to validate the numerical results.

Presenting Author: Kartik Tripathi Arizona State University

Presenting Author Biography: I am Kartik Tripathi, an M.S. student in Mechanical Engineering at Arizona State University. As a Graduate Research Assistant at the Adaptive Intelligent Materials & Systems Center at ASU, I work on interdisciplinary projects requiring both modeling and experimental expertise. My current work focuses on investigating the properties of carbon nanotubes and their applications in the aerospace industry.