Electromagnetic interference and electrical conductivity behavior of carbon/polycyanate composite with nickel nanostrands™ under fatigue

A conductive nanocomposite containing nickel nanostrands™ in carbon fiber‐reinforced polymeric composite (M55 carbon fibers in toughened polycyanate resin matrix, RS‐3) was investigated for electromagnetic interference (EMI) and electrostatic discharge (ESD) shielding effectiveness when subjected to the tension–tension fatigue load. These were measured in terms of dB attenuation and sheet resistance, respectively. Four configurations, one without nickel nanostrands and other three with different locations of nickel nanostrands layers, were investigated. The locations were outside surfaces, dispersed throughout the laminate thickness or the midplane. Fatigue strength was not affected by the addition of nickel nanostrands at any location. The addition of nickel nanostrands enhanced, in general, the EMI and ESD shielding effectiveness of the baseline polymeric composite with carbon fibers. However, the exterior location provided the maximum enhancement of EMI and ESD effectiveness. Furthermore, both EMI and ESD shielding effectiveness were practically constant under tension–tension fatigue loading condition up to 2 million cycles. This was because the nickel nanostrands were intact under fatigue loading condition. POLYM. COMPOS., 2011. Published 2011 Society of Plastics Engineers