Nanotechnology enabled multifunctional damping for aerospace composite structures

Engineering structures possessing high levels of damping capability are critically important in a variety of aerospace, mechanical, and civil systems. Aerospace structures are often excited under acoustic vibration and exhibit very high amplitude displacements and thus premature failure. Material with high damping or energy absorbing properties would be essential to prolong structural life. Conventional damping treatments are based on combinations of viscoelastic, elastomeric, magnetic and/or piezoelectric materials. Although these conventional techniques show promise for energy dissipation, structural integrity issues associated with integration into heterogeneous systems are major technical challenges. Other challenges include weight, compactness, and power limitations as well as damper reliability. Recently, considerable attention has been given to nanomaterials such as nanotubes or nanoparticles fillered polymer composites in order to overcome above addressed technical barriers, since such a nanocomposite system can have benefits of light-weight, minimal intrusiveness, robust damping and seamless integration to the heterogeneous structures. In addition, it shows great promise for outstanding electrical and thermal properties. Hence, the main objective of this paper is to present a review of recent advances made in multifunctional damping technology, and discuss fabrication techniques for aerospace composite structures using nanomaterials.