Online structural health monitoring of polymer composite structure using gold nanoparticles (AuNPs)

Abstract

A mechanism for online structural health monitoring of composite structure was established by developing highly sensitive strain gauges based on colloidal Gold Nano Particles (AuNPs). They were synthesized using well known Turkevich-Frens method followed by phase transfer in chloroform using surfactant Cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). Flexible Strain gauges / smart sensors were formed by mixing colloidal AuNPs-chloroform solution in polystyrene (PS) – chloroform solution and depositing their thick paste on hand-made flexible thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) film. These sensors were used as strain gauges on composite substrates for tensile testing. The developed AuNP based strain gauges were found to have 10 times higher sensitivity than normal metal foil strain gauges.