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298 || AWSAR Awarded Popular Science Stories - 2019
fibers to make conducting CFRP, without compromising the mechanical properties.
Most of the earlier studies on lightning strike damage on materials were experimental in nature. As lightning lasts
only for few microseconds,
it is difficult to know about
the temperature distribution
inside the material during
the experiments. Once the
lightning strike test is over, one
can see only the damage that is
inflicted on the material. Finding
out the temperature distribution
in a material during lightning
strike is also challenging. A
rigorous analysis is required
to evaluate the heat energy
due to electric current at
every point on the material at
every instant of time. This time
varying heat energy is used to
estimate the temperature distribution inside the material. The numerical analyses to find out the time varying temperature distribution during and after the lightning strike on
CFRP was conducted using the commercial software ABAQUS. The damage volume on CFRP with and without copper mesh covering was estimated. The study showed that the
CFRP damage decreased with increase in copper mesh covering thickness. The study also showed that the decrease in copper mesh covering the entire hole decreased the CFRP damage. These findings were published in the journal “Materials Today Communications” (doi:10.1016/j. mtcomm.2018.05.009). As mentioned before, copper mesh protection is not always effective as it has its own disadvantages. So, it is necessary to go with a sustainable alternative to copper mesh protection. So,
the team currently focusses on developing conducting CFRP that would not compromise on the mechanical properties of the material.
   One of the commonly accepted methods to decrease the resistive heat generated in
a material is to increase its electrical conductivity. This will allow the current to pass through the material very fast and would reduce the heat. Adding carbon nanotubes to the polymer is a very effective method to increase the electrical conductivity of the polymer.
     








































































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