Speaker
Description
Fused filament fabrication (FFF) enables the integration of electrically conductive pathways into polymeric components, creating opportunities for embedded sensing and integrated structural health monitoring. Previous investigations by the research team and other authors have demonstrated that conductive polymers exhibit a reliable relationship between mechanical deformation and electrical resistance, supporting their feasibility as integrated sensors within self-sensing structures. However, knowledge of the long-term reliability of such systems under environmental exposure remains limited.
The study hypothesizes that conductivity degradation serves as a measurable indicator of mechanical deterioration, enabling non-destructive assessment of component condition without conventional mechanical testing. It investigates the influence of accelerated aging on the electromechanical performance of FFF polylactic acid components modified with carbon black nanoparticles to provide electrical conductivity. Experimental campaigns expose specimens to controlled ultraviolet radiation, elevated temperature, and humidity conditions representative of harsh service environments. Mechanical characteristics and electrical conductivity are monitored to establish quantitative relationships between structural performance losses and changes in electrical response. A research challenge is to separate aging-induced changes in conductivity from those caused by mechanical loading, while identifying the environmental factors that most strongly affect the fidelity of the conductive network and the reliability of the sensing response.
| Topic Area | Fatigue, Corrosion and Structural Integrity of Engineering Structures and Mechanical Systems |
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