Electrical and thermal behavior of the carbon fiber polymer matrix composites subjected to time-varying and steady electric currents is studied. A fully automated experimental setup for real time measurements of the electric current, resistance, voltage, and temperature in carbon fiber polymer matrix composites has been developed. A series of electrical characterization tests on IM7/977-3 unidirectional and symmetric cross-ply composite laminates have been performed and the effects of electric current magnitude and duration, electrical resistance, and associated thermal effects have been investigated. It is determined that voltage-current relationship stays ohmic for up to 50 A steady currents, electrical resistance exhibits time-dependent behavior. It is also found that application of an electric current leads to a significant temperature rise in the composites that is a result of the intense Joule heat produced in the electrically conductive carbon fibers as well as in the composite-electrode contact.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:uiowa.edu/oai:ir.uiowa.edu:etd-1976 |
| Date | 01 December 2010 |
| Creators | Deierling, Phillip Eugene |
| Contributors | Zhupanska, Olesya I. |
| Publisher | University of Iowa |
| Source Sets | University of Iowa |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | thesis |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | Theses and Dissertations |
| Rights | Copyright 2010 Phillip Deierling |
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