Thermoset curing through Joule heating of nanocarbons for composite manufacture, repair and soldering

Epoxy resins are cured through Joule heating of dispersed nanocarbons (carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and graphene) in the polymer matrix at volume fractions above the electrical percolation threshold. The process is intrinsically very efficient since heat is generated directly from within the sample. The small distance between nanocarbon particles (<100 nm) results in exceptionally fast heating rates (up to 740 °C/min) and more uniformity than in oven-based curing. Three examples where this novel curing process can outperform traditional methods are presented: using resistive heating to repair an aerospace composite part, the fabrication of a glass fibre composite laminate and soldering an assembly of CNTs to a metal substrate.