Challenges and Opportunities for Nanotechnology in Multi-Functional Composite Structures (Preprint)

Incorporation of nanoparticles into engineered composites represents one of the largest volume applications for nanocomposites currently envisioned. Of the wide variety of structural applications, fiber-reinforced composites for aerospace structures have some of the most demanding applications with extreme requirements in physical, chemical, electrical, thermal, and mechanical properties. Nanocomposites offer tremendous potential to improve these properties for advanced engineered composites with modest additional weight and easy integration into current processing schemes. Significant progress has been made in fulfilling this vision. Within this paper, we review the relative status of nanocomposites incorporation into aerospace composite structures and the need for continued development. In particular, nanocomposites have been applied at specific and multiple locations within the hierarchical composites to improve specific properties and to offer yet another method and level to optimize multiple properties of the overall structural composite. Prepared in collaboration with Northrop Grumman, Redondo Beach, CA. Article submitted to the Materials Research Society (MRS) Bulletin.