Bruisable Composites

Background

Advanced composite materials are widely used in safety critical applications across a broad range of industries (ie aerospace, infrastructure etc) because they offer lightweight, high strength/stiffness coupled with excellent durability. However, due to their non-isotropic laminated structure there are concerns over the ability for companies to detect through thickness damage, which could have a detrimental effect on the performance of the material leading to premature failure.

Solution

EPL are currently working on a DTI funded project to design and develop a simple low cost health monitoring technique for composite structures based on the concept of 'Bruisable Composites'.

The 'Bruisable Composites' concept involves incorporating dye filled microspheres within the resin, which rupture under impact or excessive strain leaving a coloured stain or ‘bruise’ on the surface of the structure. The physical size and colour of the bruise being an indication of the degree of damage made to the structure.

Benefits

The principal benefit is for engineers or technicians to quickly scan large or small safety critical composite surface structures (ie wind turbine blades, boat hulls, aerospace fuselages etc) and identify areas which have been damaged due to impact, lightning strike, fatigue, abrasion or erosion etc.

The 'Bruisable Composites' system can be employed on external surfaces or in areas which are not normally accessible by other inspection techniques.

The release of dye also enables companies to see the areas within the structure that need to be repaired.

Commercialisation

EPL is looking for end user companies to evaluate the use of this pioneering damage detection system.

If you would like to know more please call: +44 (0) 1509 210027