Sensing abilities of embedded vertically aligned carbon nanotube forests in structural composites: From nanoscale properties to mesoscale functionalities

In this paper, Vertically Aligned Carbon Nanotube (VACNT) forests are embedded into two different glass fibre/epoxy composite systems to study their sensing abilities to strain and temperature. Through a bottom-up approach, performing studies of the VACNT forest and its individual carbon nanotubes on the nano-, micro-, and mesoscale, the observed thermoresistive effect is determined to be due to fluctuation-assisted tunnelling, and the linear piezoresistive effect due to the intrinsic piezoresistivity of individual carbon nanotubes. The VACNT forests offer great freedom of placement into the structure and reproducibility of sensing sensitivity in both composite systems, independent of conductivity and volume fraction, producing a robust sensor to strain and temperature

Forming of advanced components out of pre-stacked crossplied UD prepreg

QC 20120113Nffp PriceNffp Multima

SMART SKIN FOR AEW AIRCRAFT

A multifunctional fuselage structure has been developed. It provides the structural integrity necessary for smaller aircraft and permits the transmission of high-power microwave radiation characteristics for long-range surveillance radars. In particular, the solution permits a straightforward integration and allows for a curvature that improves buckling performance. A 700 mm 7 700 mm fuselage demonstrator was manufactured to verify its performance via measurements. The demonstrator exhibits good antenna performance (good RF coupling and good radiation beam shape) as well as good stiffness and load-carrying capability. It also performed well in vibration tests showing low dynamic response which is useful in dynamic environments

Integration of Airborne Early Warning Radar Platforms on Aircraft

The need for a long-range and complete Air Picture has long since motivated the presence of airborne early warning (AEW) radar platforms. Later developments, such as stealth and advancing threats at low altitudes or hypersonic speeds have nothing but reinforce the need for increased-performance AEW. However, the high costs for the platform, integration, and operations restrict the number of platforms to a point where these high-value assets become sensitive to preemptive actions by an adversary. Therefore, SAAB has within the NFFP7 framework launched a series of studies aiming at smaller, adapted, and cost-efficient unmanned AEW platforms with extreme endurance. Thus, the aerodynamic performance of the carrier plus radar must be optimized, which implies that the projected area of the radar must be minimized. In this project, we study the possibility of integrating the antenna layer in the fuselage structure of the aircraft, thus gaining (i) body width and (ii) a more optimal wet geometry

A Wide-Scanning Array Antenna of Connected Vertical Bowtie Elements Structurally Integrated Within an Aircraft Fuselage

A low-profile, wide-scanning phased-array antenna of vertical bowtie elements fully integrated with a structurally efficient radome and ribs of an aircraft fuselage is proposed in this article. The array is designed to simultaneously fulfil the electrical requirements of an airborne antenna sensor and the mechanical requirements of a load-carrying aircraft fuselage. The array antenna is capable of steering the beam up to\ua0\ub180 degrees in the azimuth plane over a 20% bandwidth (2.4–3 GHz) with the active reflection coefficient (\ua0Γact\ua0) below −10 dB in an infinite array environment. Experimental results of a\ua016 716\ua0element array demonstrator agree well with the simulation results. The\ua016 716\ua0array antenna is capable of steering the beam up to\ua0\ub160 degrees and\ua0\ub175 degrees with the bandwidth of 20% and 10%, respectively, at\ua0Γact≤−10\ua0dB. The array antenna also achieved good stiffness and performed well in the vibration loads of commercial transport aircraft