Dynamic electrical characteristics of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer composite under low intensity lightning current impulse

The distribution and conduction path of lightning current inside carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites subjected to lightning strikes are determined by their dynamic conductive characteristics. An experimental platform that generates lightning current impulses with variable parameters was established to obtain the equivalent conductivities of CFRPs with different laminated structures. The experimental results indicated that the through-thickness conductivity (10−3 S/mm) was much lower than the in-plane conductivity (100 S/mm). Then, the dynamic conduction model of CFRPs was analyzed based on the anisotropic nonlinear conductivities of CFRPs under lightning currents of 50–1000 A. The CFRP laminate could be regarded as a series circuit of resistance and inductance. The dynamic conductance of the CFRP laminate first increased and then decreased during the single lightning current strike process, which was closely related to the conductive properties of the interlaminar resin. The inductive properties of the CFRP material were manifested in the test results, which showed that the voltage reached the peak value prior to the current waveform and the equivalent conductivities of the CFRPs increased as the rate of increase decreased and the duration increased. In addition, the equivalent inductance of the carbon fiber network was found to be an important part of the inductive effect of CFRP laminates. This research is helpful for understanding the complicated relationships in the lightning current conducting process and can provide experimental and theoretical support for CFRP coupled electrical–thermal simulation studies of lightning direct effects.