A self-sensing microwire/epoxy composite optimized by dual interfaces and periodical structural integrity

TL;DR

This paper presents an optimized self-sensing composite material using dual interfaces in microwire/epoxy systems, enhancing damage detection and structural integrity monitoring for safety-critical applications.

Contribution

It introduces a dual-interface optimization strategy that improves damage detection and stress transfer in microwire/epoxy composites, advancing self-sensing capabilities.

Findings

Enhanced damage detection through periodical structural integrity parameters

Improved stress transfer efficiency with silane-treated interfaces

Maintained sensitivity by preserving the inner interface structure

Abstract

Self-sensing composites performance largely relies on the sensing fillers property and interface. Our previous work demonstrates that the microwires can enable self-sensing composites but with limited damage detection capabilities. Here, we propose an optimization strategy capitalizing on dual interfaces formed between glass-coat and metallic core (inner interface) and epoxy matrix (outer interface), which can be decoupled to serve different purposes when experiencing stress; outer interfacial modification is successfully applied with inner interface condition preserved to maintain the crucial circular domain structure for better sensitivity. We found out that the damage detection capability is prescribed by periodical structural integrity parameterized by cracks number and location in the case of damaged wires; it can also be optimized by stress transfer efficiency with silane treated interface in the case of damaged matrix. The proposed self-sensing composites enabled by a properly conditioned dual-interfaces are promising for real-time monitoring in restricted and safety-critical environments.