Strain Sensing Coatings for Large Composite Structures Based on 2D MXene Nanoparticles.

Gediminas Monastyreckis,Sergey K Poznyak,Daiva Zeleniakiene,Yaryna Soyka,Mária Omastová,Anastasiia Stepura,Hanna Maltanava,Andrey Aniskevich

doi:10.3390/s21072378

Abstract

Real-time strain monitoring of large composite structures such as wind turbine blades requires scalable, easily processable and lightweight sensors. In this study, a new type of strain-sensing coating based on 2D MXene nanoparticles was developed. A Ti3C2Tz MXene was prepared from Ti3AlC2 MAX phase using hydrochloric acid and lithium fluoride etching. Epoxy and glass fibre–reinforced composites were spray-coated using an MXene water solution. The morphology of the MXenes and the roughness of the substrate were characterised using optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. MXene coatings were first investigated under various ambient conditions. The coating experienced no significant change in electrical resistance due to temperature variation but was responsive to the 301–365 nm UV spectrum. In addition, the coating adhesion properties, electrical resistance stability over time and sensitivity to roughness were also analysed in this study. The electromechanical response of the MXene coating was investigated under tensile loading and cyclic loading conditions. The gauge factor at a strain of 4% was 10.88. After 21,650 loading cycles, the MXene coating experienced a 16.25% increase in permanent resistance, but the response to loading was more stable. This work provides novel findings on electrical resistance sensitivity to roughness and electromechanical behaviour under cyclic loading, necessary for further development of MXene-based nanocoatings. The advantages of MXene coatings for large composite structures are processability, scalability, lightweight and adhesion properties.

Highlights

IntroductionIntroduction published maps and institutional affilIn the past decade, the demand for nanosensors and electrically conductive polymer composites has grown considerably [1,2]
Introduction published maps and institutional affilIn the past decade, the demand for nanosensors and electrically conductive polymer composites has grown considerably [1,2]
The aim of this study is to develop an processable and scalable MXene coating that can detect the low strain values typical for fibre-reinforced composites

Summary

Introduction

Introduction published maps and institutional affilIn the past decade, the demand for nanosensors and electrically conductive polymer composites has grown considerably [1,2]. Despite the relatively low van der Waals forces between 2D nanoflakes [9], pure MXene films have shown very high tensile strengths (590 MPa for a 980 nm thick film), which was obtained using large-diameter aligned flakes and the blade-casting method [10]. These properties can be influenced by different delamination methods [11,12]. During the etching and delamination process, the flake size and thickness iations

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