A study on the possibility of utilizing CFRP fabricated by EDRM as structural capacitor by incorporating CNF

Abstract

In this study, carbon fiber reinforced polymer, or CFRP is presented as a multifunctional material that combines capacitance, lightweight, and strength. In order to investigate the possibility of CFRP functioning as a structural capacitor, its electrical and mechanical performance were evaluated. The development of CFRP as a multifunctional composite is the main goal of this effort for lowering the overall fuel and energy consumption. The dielectric materials employed in this investigation included cellulose nanofiber (CNF), paper, tissue, plastic, and jute fiber. Electrodeposition resin molding method (EDRM), a novel composite manufacturing technique, was employed in the composite's fabrication. Electrodeposition was used for applying a current and deposit resin between carbon fibers. Following EDRM, the dielectric material was sandwiched between two carbon fiber preforms and heated to cure the material, creating the structural capacitor. To examine the capacitance characteristics, capacitance tests were carried out, while for the mechanical properties, tensile and four-point bending test were performed. It was found that the use of CNF as dielectric had substantially enhanced the capacitance and bending properties of composites, however, the Young’s modulus was decreased. CFRP that includes CNF has around 6 % higher bending strength than CFRP that excludes CNF. Additionally, a maximum capacitance of 813 nF/m² was achieved by employing CNF into CFRP.