Microstructural modeling on electrical conductivities of 3-D carbon/epoxy woven composites along different directions

Abstract

Carbon fiber composites have widely been used in aircrafts and high speed vehicles. Electrical conductivity of the carbon fiber composites is critical to electrical safety for the aircrafts and vehicles under high voltage applications. Here we report microstructural modeling on electrical conductivities of three-dimensional (3-D) carbon/epoxy angle-interlock woven composites along on-axis and off-axis directions. A 3-D resistor network model and finite element analysis (FEA) model based on fabric microstructure have been developed to reveal the electric conductivities along different directions. We have found that the conductivity of the woven structure exhibits full anisotropy. The difference of electrical conductivity between in-plane and through-thickness direction decreased due to the existence of through-the-thickness carbon fibers. The electrical conductivity through-thickness direction increases with warp directional length. With increasing off-axis directional length, the conductivity perpendicular to the off-axis direction increases, while the conductivity parallel to the off-axis direction remains basically unchanged. Electric potential distribution and electrical current density are highly related with fabric structure and current directions. Owing to the dependence of mechanical properties are also related with fabric structure and directions, it is expected that both the electrical and mechanical properties of the 3-D woven carbon/epoxy composites could be optimized simultaneously from the composite microstructure designs.