The Tomorrow of Intelligent Composite Materials

Intelligent composite materials and structures are a high-tech developed on the basis of composite materials. It embeds sensors, drivers, microprocessors, and other components in composite material structures to form multifunctional structural materials that can both carry and have specific functions.

Due to the strong designability of composite materials and the fact that intelligent structures are manufactured using the same methods as advanced composite materials, composite components that have been or will be used in aerospace structures can be intelligently processed according to actual application needs. This can fundamentally solve the difficult problems that arise in the operation of composite components, such as vibration and stress concentration.

The main types and applications of intelligent composite materials

1. Shape memory alloy fiber-reinforced intelligent composite material

The application of SMA in smart composite materials is mainly due to its shape memory effect (SME) and superelasticity.

2. Fiber optic intelligent composite material

Sensors in smart composite materials are embedded in the composite material, which requires good compatibility with the substrate.

3. Carbon fiber reinforced intelligent composite materials

This composite material is commonly found in cement-based materials. By incorporating short cut carbon fibers of a certain shape, size, and dosage into cement-based materials, not only is the strength of the material improved, but it also has the ability to self detect stress, strain, and damage.

4. Piezoelectric intelligent composite materials

This composite material exhibits piezoelectric effect. The phenomenon of generating a voltage on a material when an external force is applied is called the positive piezoelectric effect; Applying an electric field to the surface of a material to generate strain or stress is called the anti piezoelectric effect. It has the characteristic of converting electrical and mechanical energy, so it can be applied in intelligent structures, especially in adaptive, vibration reduction, and noise control.

5. Electric/magnetic current variant intelligent composite materials

Under the action of an external electric/magnetic field, a fibrous structure along the direction of the electric/magnetic field will appear inside the electric/magnetic fluid, causing the viscosity of the system to increase sharply in a short period of time, accompanied by a significant increase in yield stress and elastic modulus. When the external electric/magnetic field is removed, it can quickly recover to a liquid state. By utilizing this characteristic, composite materials with other materials can achieve material intelligence.

6 PH responsive gel fiber smart composites

PH responsive gel fiber is a gel fiber whose volume or morphology changes with the change of pH value, that is, its reversible shrinkage and swelling in water due to the difference of pH value, which makes the chemical energy and mechanical energy convert each other.

Research and Development Status at Home and Abroad

1. Extremely rapid development

Some Western countries, led by the United States, have developed large-scale intelligent composite material components and are conducting simulation tests and facial recognition.

2. The number of research groups is increasing, with a focus on aerospace and defense applications

Due to the interdisciplinary and cross industry nature of intelligent composite materials, it not only requires material experts, but also talents in chemistry, physics, system control, and many other fields. Therefore, interdisciplinary comprehensive academic groups engaged in research in this field have rapidly emerged. The national defense department and aerospace system have attached great importance to research in this field. The research departments of the US Department of Defense, NASA, Air Force, and major aircraft manufacturing companies, as well as countries such as Japan and the UK, have all formulated and proposed their own comprehensive development plans.

3. Parallel Basic Research and Applied Research

Although smart materials are developing rapidly, they are still an immature field, and many concepts are still not recognized or unified. Therefore, basic research should be vigorously strengthened. Due to the clear application goals, especially the urgent military needs, research and manufacturing of components have been launched one after another, and are developing towards intelligent integration, sensing, motion and control system miniaturization.