EMC impact of advanced carbon fiber/carbon nanotube reinforced composites for next-generation aerospace applications

This paper presents a comparative analysis of the electromagnetic properties of new composite materials that are of interest to future aircraft/aerospace structures. The fabrication process of single-phase and new multiphase micro/nanocomposites Is described. Carbon black, carbon fibers, and multiwall carbon nanotubes are randomly mixed into an epoxy resin matrix at various weight fractions and compositions. The experimental characterization in the frequency range 8-18 GHz shows that the dispersion characteristics of short-carbon-fiber-reinforced composites can be properly controlled by the addition of nanopowders and nanotubes into the mixture. Numerical simulations demonstrate the feasibility of the fabricated materials for the design of new electromagnetic micro/nanostructured shields and radar-absorbing laminates. Thin dielectric Salisbury screens are especially designed to exhibit minimum reflection coefficient at 15 GHz. It shows that the total thickness of the screen can be reduced below 2 mm by using a lossy sheet made of three-phase composites.