Open Access

Carbon Nanotube Composites to Enhance Thermal and Electrical Properties for Space Applications - A Review

Dhaval A. Vartak, dhaval@sac.isro.gov.in
Space Applications Centre (ISRO), Ahmedabad, GJ, India
Yogesh Ghotekar, Space Applications Centre (ISRO), Ahmedabad, GJ, India Pina M. Bhatt, Silver Oak College of Engineering &Technology, Ahmedabad, GJ, India Bharat Makwana, Kadi Sarva Vishwavidyalaya, Gandhinagar, GJ, India Hetalkumar Shah, Gandhinagar Institute of Technology, GJ, India J. A. Vadher, Government Engineering College, Palanpur, GJ, India B. S. Munjal Space Applications Centre (ISRO), Ahmedabad, GJ, India


J. Environ. Nanotechnol., Volume 11, No 3 (2022) pp. 11-21

https://doi.org/10.13074/jent.2022.09.223456

PDF


Abstract

High specific stiffness materials are used to design the space payload components. These components should sustain the extreme environmental conditions throughout their life cycle, without failure. Space missions need lightweight materials which are mechanically strong with high thermal and electric conductivities. Carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) offers considerable mass saving and high strength, which is widely used for space payload components. However, it has limitations to replace the traditional space-qualified materials due to its low conductivity. Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs) are efficient with greater electrical and thermal conductivities. For CNTs to be seen as effective reinforcements for attaining high strength and conductivity of polymer composites, they need to meet the criteria of being well-dispersed by the solution mixing method. The quality of the CNT nanocomposite relies upon several parameters like the type of CNTs, purity, aspect ratio, amount of loading, alignment and interfacial adhesion between the nanotube and polymer. The performance of the CNT-CFRP composite depends on the successful execution of the processing technique. It has been intended in this review paper to highlight the enhancement of the mechanical, thermal and electrical properties of the composite, and the challenges in achieving it.  An attempt has been made to optimize the process parameters to fabricate space payload components which can be excellent alternatives to the existing high-density materials. Moreover, this review research is the need of the hour for prominent space agencies such as ISRO and NASA for their future inter-planetary missions, where payload weight needs to be kept light without making any compromise on the performance index.

Full Text

Reference


Aidin, M., Advanced Carbon Fiber Composite Materials for Shielding and Antenna Applications, a thesis in the department of electrical and computer engineering (2011).

Dhaval, A. V. and Pina, M. B., Potential applications of advanced nano-composite materials for Space Payload, Aust. J. Mech. eng., 13(2), 651-659 (2020).

https://doi.org/10.1080/14484846.2020.1733176

Dhaval, A. V., Yogesh, G., Munjal, B. S. and Pina, B., Thermal and Electrical Characterization of CNT based Carbon Fiber Reinforced Composite for Space Payload Applications, Space Applications Centre, ISRO- Ahmedabad (2020).

Du, Fangming, G., Csaba, K., Takashi, F., John, W. and Karen, An infiltration method for preparing single‐wall nanotube/epoxy composites with improved thermal conductivity, J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys., 44(10), 1513-1519 (2006).

https://doi.org/10.1002/polb.20801

Ewelina, C., Anna, B., Michał, K., Paulina, C. and Tomasz, W., Enhancement of thermal and electrical conductivity of CFRP by application of carbon nanotubes, ECCM16 - 16th European Conference on Composite Materials, Seville, Spain, 22-26 (2014).

Fawad, T., Madni, S., Mateen, T., Kazim, H., S. and Rasheed, A. B., Hybrid Nanocomposite Material for EMI Shielding in Spacecrafts, Adv. Mater. Res., 1101, 46-50 (2015).

https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.1101.46

Fawad, T., Madni, S. and Rasheed, A. B., Multifunctional Carbon Nanotubes Filled Carbon Fiber Composite for Satellite Structural Applications, 68th International Astronautical Congress (IAC)-Australia, 1-10 (2017).

Garima, M., Vivek, D., Kyong, Y. R., Soo-Jin, P. and Wi, R. L., A review on carbon nanotubes and graphene as fillers in reinforced polymer nanocomposites, J. Ind. Eng. Chem., 21, 11-25 (2014).

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jiec.2014.03.022

Gerald, S., Harald, R., Gerhard, S., Miriam, M. U., Josef, W., Ursula, W., Helga, C. L., Processing of Carbon Nanotubes and Carbon Nanofibers towards High Performance Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymers, Key Eng. Mater., 742, 31-37 (2017).

https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/KEM.742.31

Indian Remote Sensing Missions & Payloads- A Glance, Space Science and Ground Segment Section IRS & SSS Program Management Office, Doc No: ISRO-ISAC-TR-1445 (2018).

Irina, G., Eitan, G., Ronen, V., Nurit, A., Asaf, B. and Noam, E., Advances in Polyimide-Based Materials for Space Applications, Adv. Mater., 31(18), 1-15 (2019).

https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.201807738

Jamshid, A. S. and Emilie, J. S., Systems analysis of carbon nanotubes: opportunities and challenges for space applications, Nanotechnol., 28(37), 1-12 (2017).

https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6528/aa7c5a

Joana, F. G., Marta, S. S. M., Ramiro, M. and Nuno, R., Carbon Nanotube Layer for Reduction of Fiber Print-Through in Carbon Fiber Composites, Advances in Polymer Technology, 1-11 (2019).

https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/6520972

Davis, J. R. Nickle, cobalt and their alloys, ASM International Handbook (2000).

Kenan, S., Yiying, Z., Jiangsha, M., Emily, C. G., Navid, T., Heng, L. and Marilyn, L. M., Structural Polymer-based Carbon Nanotube Composite Fibers: Understanding the Processing–Structure–Performance Relationship, Mater., 6(6), 2543-2577 (2013).

https://doi.org/10.3390/ma6062543

Lonjon, A., Demont, P., Dantras, E. and Lacabanne, C. Electrical conductivity improvement of aeronautical carbon fiber reinforced polyepoxy composites by insertion of carbon nanotubes, J. Non-Cryst. Solids, 358(15), 1859-1862 (2012).

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnoncrysol.2012.05.038

Nicoletto, M., Boschetti, D., Giorcelli, M. and Savi, P., MWCNTs nanocomposites for space applications, 2015 IEEE International Symposium on Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC), IEEE, 74-79 (2015).

https://doi.org/10.1109/ISEMC.2015.7256308

Marta, M., Rui, G., Luís, P., Celeste, P., Olaf, R., Daniele, T., Nuno, C. and Nuno, R., Highly Conductive Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Composite Electronic Box: Out-of-Autoclave Manufacturing for Space Applications, Fiber, 6(4), 1-23 (2018).

https://doi.org/10.3390/fib6040092

Michael, R., Sameer, S. R., Krzysztof, K., Benjamin, F. and Hua-Xin, P., Length-dependent electrical and thermal properties of carbon nanotube loaded, epoxy nanocomposites, Compos. Sci. Technol., 81, 42–47 (2013).

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.compscitech.2013.03.011

NASA exploring using carbon nanotube for aerospace applications: Composite World (2017).

https://www.compositesworld.com/news/nasa-exploring-using-carbon-nanotube-for-aerospace-applications-

Omid, G., Maialen, C. E. and Cristina, E., Potential and prospective implementation of carbon nanotubes on next generation aircraft and space vehicles: A review of current and expected applications in aerospace sciences, Prog. Aerosp. Sci., 70, 42-68 (2014).

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paerosci.2014.05.002

Ramamurthy, P., Nano-composites for space applications, J. Aerosp. Sci. Technol., 67, 1-17 (2015).

Robert, E. L., Justin, J. L., Alexander, L. B. and Roman, H., Surface Charging Considerations for Composite Materials used in Spacecraft Applications, IEEE Trans. Plasma Sci., 43(9), 2901-2906 (2015).

http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/TPS.2015.2451731

Bal, S. and Samal, S. S., Carbon nanotube reinforced polymer composites – A state of the art, Bull. Mater. Sci., 30(4), 379–386 (2007).

Simcha, S., Dotan, A., Kenig, S. and Dodiuk, H., Characterization of Hybrid Epoxy Nanocomposites, Nanomater., 2(4), 348-365 (2012). http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/nano2040348

Sagar, R., Roumiana, S. P. and Somenath, M., Effect of carbon nanotube (CNT) functionalization in Epoxy CNT Composites, Nanotechnol., 7(6), 475–485 (2018).

http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/ntrev20180068

Sang-Ha, H., Young-Bin, P., Kwan, H. Y. and Dae, S. B., Smart Materials and Structures Based on Carbon Nanotube Composites, Carbon Nanotubes - Synthesis, Characterization, Applications, InTech, (2011).

https://doi.org/10.5772/17374

Songlin, Z., Ayou, H., Nam, N., Abiodun, O., Zhe, L., Yourri, D., Jin, G. P., Richard, L., Carbon nanotube/carbon composite fiber with improved strength and electrical conductivity via interface engineering, Carbon, 144, 628-638 (2019).

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.carbon.2018.12.091

Suraj, R., James, B. and Nafiz, K., Development of Carbon Nanotube-based Composite for Spacecraft Component, 2013 6th International Conference on Recent Advances in Space Technologies (RAST), IEEE Xplore, 13-19(2013).

https://doi.org/10.1109/RAST.2013.6581186

Veena Choudhary and Anju Gupta, Polymer/Carbon Nanotube Nanocomposites, Carbon Nanotubes-Polymer Nanocomposites, Centre for Polymer Science and Engineering, IntechOpen, 65-90 (2011).

https://doi.org/10.5772/18423

Wu, N., Carbon Nanotubes Reinforced Nano-Composite Materials and Their Application in Aeronautics Engineering, J. Aeronaut. Aerospace Eng., 1(4), 1-1 (2012).

https://doi.org/10.4172/2168-9792.1000e119

Yan, Y. H., Jean, E. M., Carlos, Gonzalez-Lopez, and Eugene, M. T., Variation in Carbon Nanotube Polymer Composite Conductivity from the Effects of Processing, Dispersion, Aging and Sample Size, Mater. Express, 1(4), 315-328 (2011).

https://doi.org/10.1166/mex.2011.1033

Yelda, A., Sukru, K., Omer, S., Electrical, Thermal and Mechanical Properties of CNT Treated Prepreg CFRP Composites, Mater. Sci. Appl., 7(9), 465-483 (2016).

http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/msa.2016.79041

Yeqing, W., Multiphysics analysis of lightning strike damage in laminated carbon/glass fiber reinforced polymer matrix composite materials: A review of problem formulation and computational modelling, Composites, Part A, 101, 543-553 (2017).

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesa.2017.07.010

Contact Us

Powered by

Powered by OJS