In-Situ X-Ray Imaging of Carbon Fibre Composite Manufacturing Processes

Carbon fibre composites are a family of lightweight, high-performance materials that consist of high-strength carbon fibres embedded in a resin. These materials are used in a variety of demanding applications, such as aerospace, automotive, and marine sectors. The reduction of material weight in these transportation industries results in improved energy efficiency and reduction in greenhouse gases. One drawback of carbon fibre composites is the complexity of manufacturing, as conditions during the resin curing process must be carefully controlled in order to avoid the formation of defects that can compromise the structural stability of the material. Despite significant efforts to model and control these defects, they sometimes occur nonetheless and the mechanisms and dynamic changes behind their formation are not always well understood. The best way to understand how these defects form is to observe them directly. In order to accomplish this, x-ray imaging is often used to see inside the carbon fibre at the microscopic level. Unfortunately, this kind of imaging is too slow to watch the formation of defects in real time. One way around this is to use a special source of x-rays called a synchrotron, which can scan materials very fast at the microscopic scale.

Faculty Supervisor:

Anoush Poursartip

Student:

Cheng Chen

Partner:

Canadian Light Source Inc.

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

University:

University of British Columbia

Program: