ELECTRICAL RESISTANCE CHANGE IN CFRP COMPOSITES WITH DIFFERENT FIBRE VOLUME FRACTION UNDER TENSILE LOADING

Abstract

Carbon fibers have high electric conductivity, while the matrix surrounding them is an insulator. Carbon fibers can be represented in materials as some resistors. If a fiber breaks, the current can not pass through this fiber. Thus the electrical resistance material will increase because the current will have to find another route. In this study, the electrical resistance change method is used. Two type of cross-ply laminate composites is used in this study: carbon fibre reinforced polypropylene and epoxy matrix. First, the composites production and set-up used is presented. Then, tensile tests on the laminate are performed. The influence of fibre volume fraction on the measurements is examined. It may be concluded that the volume fraction of fibres has a some influence on the resistance change. If the fibers volume fraction is higher, the contact between fibre is greater and the resistance is lower, but during the test, its value increases with applied load.