Monitoring the mechanical behavior under ramp and creep conditions of electrically conductive polymer composites

In this work a nanomodified epoxy matrix was used to prepare glass fibers reinforced laminates to be tested under ramp and creep conditions, with a continuous monitoring of their deformational and damage behavior through electrical measurements. A combination of carbon black (CB) and carbon nanofibers (CNFs), with a relative CB/CNF ratio of 90/10 and a total filler amount of 2 wt.%, was selected to prepare nanomodified composite laminates by a hand lay-up technique. Tensile tests under ramp and creep conditions highlighted a remarkable strain and damage monitoring capability of the prepared composites, with a strong dependency of the response on the testing temperature and on the load level.