USA As Represented by Secretary of the Navy

Andrew W Jarrett

Usman A Sorathia

Veerendra Kumar Mathur

Stephen A Mastro

Joseph W Killian

A composite structure contains crystalline and/or polycrystalline triboluminescent elements distributed therein externally and/or internally, totally and/or regionally. The structure is instrumented with at least one optical fiber which is coupled therewith penetratingly and/or superficially/tangentially. Each optical fiber is exteriorly light transparent/translucent along at least a longitudinal portion thereof which is situate in the vicinity of at least one triboluminescent element. Concomitant with the occurrence of damage in and/or on the structure is the occurrence of mechanical action with respect to at least one triboluminescent element, a consequence of which is the occurrence of triboluminescence which, to at least some degree, passes radially into at least one optical fiber so as to reach the optical fiber's transmissive axial core and thereby be transmitted to remotely located photosensitive equipment. The triboluminescent elements can exist wholely and/or partly in various capacities, e.g., as fiber reinforcement and/or particle reinforcement and/or particle filler.

Fiber optic composite damage sensor

The present invention relates to acoustic and vibration attenuation compoe material, particularly to damping tiles of the Type VI class 1, suitable for use in aircraft, ship and submarine applications, that is inexpensive, does not result in an unacceptable weight penalty, and is conformable-in-place to complex curvatures. The present acoustic and vibration attenuation composite comprises a constraining layer of at least one ply of graphite fabric together with curable phenolic resin bonded to a viscoelastic layer.

Growing community of inventors

Ellicott City, MD, United States of America

Andrew W Jarrett