University of Dayton

Nanocomp Technologies, Inc.

Brian Patrick Rice

David W Gailus

Lingchuan Li

Zongwu Bai

Keith Bryan Bowman

Paul Kladitis

Ronald Dean Cornwell

Allan Stanislaus Crasto

James Andrew Lute

John Paul Mistretta

Carbon nanotube threads are coated with a coating solution such as dimethylformamide (DMF), ethylene glycol (EG), polyethylene glycol (PEG), PEG200 (PEG with an average molecular weight of approximately 200 grams per mole (g/mol)), PEG400 (PEG with an average molecular weight of approximately 400 g/mol), aminopropyl terminated polydimethylsiloxane (DMS 100 cP),polymide, poly(methylhydrosiloxane), polyalkylene glycol, (3-aminopropyl)trimethoxysilane, hydride functional siloxane O resin, platinum (0) -1,3-divinyl-1,1,3,3-tetramethyl-disiloxane, moisture in air, acetic acid, water, poly(dimethylsiloxane) hydroxy terminated, (3-glycidyloxypropyl)-trimethoxysilane or a combination thereof. The coated carbon nanotubes may be used to stitch in a Z-direction into a composite such as a polymer prepreg to strengthen the composite. The stitching may occur using a sewing machine.

Carbon nanotube thread Z-axis multifunctional stitching

A sensing system for use in monitoring the structural health of a structure such as a polymeric matrix composite structure is provided. The system includes a sensor formed from a conductive ink containing carbon nanofibers and a polymeric resin, and a data acquisition system for acquiring and evaluating data from the sensor. The conductive ink may be applied directly to the structure to be monitored in the form of a grid pattern. Damage to the structure may be detected by measuring changes in resistance values detected from the sensor.

Sensing system for monitoring the structural health of composite structures

A structural member is reinforced by applying an adhesive material between a reinforcement surface of the structural member and an adhesion surface of a support plate, positioning a vacuum assembly adjacent to an exposed surface of said support plate so as to create an inner space between an exterior surface of said vacuum assembly and said reinforcement surface, and creating a partial vacuum in said inner space so as to force said vacuum assembly and said plate towards said reinforcement surface. A prefabricated vacuum assembly is a vacuum assembly comprising a flexible porous film, a flexible non-porous film, and a flexible sheet of breather material positioned between said porous film and said non-porous film.

Pre-fabricated vacuum bag and vacuum bag process to externally reinforce

Growing community of inventors

Mason, OH, United States of America

Brian Patrick Rice