Leveraging Ultrasonics to Non-destructively Monitor Polymer Composites in Real Time for Materials Development, Quality Control, and Aging Monitoring

Thermoset polymer composites are highly demanded for their structural robustness, thermal stability, and chemical resistance. However, the traditional destructive techniques used to characterize their properties are expensive and time-consuming, requiring lab-type equipment and instrument-specific sample preparation. Moreover, this type of testing has high variability in the results and cannot be taken in-field to perform an in-situ evaluation. This work discusses how ultrasonics is leveraged to non-destructively evaluate thermoset polymer composites in-situ and in real time. Specific examples will be given as to how this novel technology is implemented to characterize the curing process of thermosets in real time, which is essential for material development and quality control. It is also described how this patented method is utilized to evaluate the accelerated aging in self-healing polymer composites. The self-healing polymers were non-destructively characterized as they underwent temperature and humidity cycling that simulates operating conditions, with the goal of aiding in the development of these sustainable materials for their widespread implementation in high-demanding applications. This nondestructive approach reduces the material usage during material development, ensures quality control without material waste, and certifies the mechanical properties of parts and structures are in optimal shape during their lifecycle.