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CPP: Fachverband Chemische Physik und Polymerphysik
CPP 39: French-German Session: Nanomaterials, Composites and Hybrids I
CPP 39.3: Talk
Wednesday, March 11, 2026, 15:45–16:00, ZEU/0260
Self-Healing Composite Structures for Aerospace Applications — •Merve Ozkutlu Demirel1, Eray Kostur1, 2, Yigitalp Okumus1, Bilal Altin1, Melih Seckin1, and Yahya Oz1 — 1Turkish Aerospace, R&D and Advanced Technologies Directorate, 06980 Ankara, Turkiye — 2Cukurova University, Department of Mechanical Engineering, 01330 Adana, Turkiye
Self-healing composite structures offer a promising solution for enhancing durability and reducing maintenance costs in aerospace platforms. In this study, a self-healing mechanism based on a microvascular channel network was developed. Composite laminates were fabricated using carbon fabric and epoxy resin. Polyamide monofilaments with a diameter of 450 um were integrated into a hand lay-up process by placing them between composite layers. After curing, these fibers were removed to create hollow channels. Various channel configurations were manufactured and evaluated through bending tests. 5-Ethylidene-2-norbornene was selected as healing agent because its operating temperature range is similar to flight temperature conditions. The healing agent was injected into the channels, while the Grubbs catalyst that would start the polymerization reaction was uniformly dispersed within the polymer matrix. Upon crack formation, the healing agent is expected to flow into the damaged region and polymerize upon contact with the catalyst, thereby filling the crack. Compact tension tests were performed to analyse the healing performance. The results demonstrated that the microvascular channel approach exhibits strong potential for aerospace applications.
Keywords: self-healing; composite; polymer