Nanocomposites are heterogeneous materials engineered by combining polymers and inorganic solids with incredibly small dimensions that take advantage of unique physical and chemical features found at the nanoscale. This article will explore the significance and benefits of polymer nanocomposites in the aerospace industry.
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The structure of polymer nanocomposites is quite complex, and they are heavily impacted by the composition, interfacial interactions, and individual property components.
The potential of nanocomposites in aerospace applications and future space missions is multiplying because of their ability to combine desirable features. Properties like chemical, electrical, mechanical, and biodegradable make polymer nanocomposites of great interest to the aerospace industry.
The role of Nanotechnology in the Aerospace Industry
Polymer nanocomposites have shown remarkable expansion in the field of aerospace technology. The use of polymer nanocomposites in the structures of aero vehicles has significantly improved their performance by reducing the weight, improving the fatigue life and structural strength, and meeting the aerospace industry's strict material and production requirements.
Challenges for the Aerospace Industry
The reduction in weight of aerospace vehicles has always been a challenging issue as it links with fuel efficiency, drag, and range. Because of rising fuel and gas prices, the aerospace sector is experiencing a surge in demand for lightweight materials such as polymer nanocomposites.
The aerospace industry is also facing significant challenges in developing materials that can significantly improve thermal properties, structural strength, and aerodynamics while reducing weight.
The frequent inspections to check the damages and cracks developed due to the various loads during the flight are quite costly, and the procedure can be difficult to complete. However, these inspections are very important for the safety of passengers, crew, and the aircraft itself.
Similarly, the hostile space environment, extreme risks of failure, and high costs associated with the design of aerospace vehicles and space missions have put on some stringent conditions on the materials for structure as well as electronics used in aerospace systems.
The design and construction of spacecraft and other various aerospace systems mainly depend upon the parameters like temperatures, vacuum, and micrometeoroids. Because of the existence of atomic oxygen, the surfaces exposed to these extreme conditions deteriorate, which necessitates the development of materials that can withstand large variations in temperatures.
This has prompted researchers to develop new materials and electrical platforms capable of operating amid high radiation and temperature fluctuations.
Why are Polymer Nanocomposites Suitable for Aerospace Applications?
Polymer nanomaterials are characterized by their lightweight and high strength qualities. These materials are known to have great potential in electronic systems because of their fast-operating speeds.
A key aspect of polymer nanocomposites is the selection of their constituents, such as matrix and nanofillers. The ideal selection of these constituents leads to the improvement of desired multifunctional properties.
Aerospace systems are susceptible to diverse environments, including changes in temperature, moisture, and dynamic pressure. As they often have to operate in stormy weather with lightning, materials should be able to withstand lightning strikes and UV radiations. Hence, Aerospace Systems require materials to have excellent electrical, chemical, thermal, and mechanical properties.
These materials should have exceptional resistance to corrosion, strength, toughness, impact resistance, fatigue life, and scratch resistance. Similarly, the aero vehicles flying at high altitudes or in space should have excellent solar absorption, radiation resistance, and high thermal emissivity.
The polymer nanocomposites are proved to have all these characteristics on an exceptional level. Nanofillers have remarkable properties as they have a basic defect-free crystal level structure.
Incorporating such materials will help reduce the cost of inspections, design, and maintenance. Similarly, the use of polymer nanocomposites in aerospace systems will significantly improve the performance, structural and thermal strength and reduce drag and empty weight. The reduction in drag and weight can make the aerospace systems fuel-efficient and ultimately lowering flight costs.
Challenges and Future
Despite significant research on polymer nanocomposites, many obstacles are faced within their manufacturing, processing, and characterization. For example, the fabrication of nanofibers, a common polymer nanocomposite component, is much more complicated than microfibers. However, the synthesis of nanofibers will ultimately result in the production of ultralight components.
The modeling and simulation of nanofibers can help determine their properties, which will help enhance their applications and their development. The essential characteristics for determining the potential of nanocomposites include dispersion, alignment, volume fraction, ease of manufacture, as well as their cost factor.
Another great challenge is the high cost associated with developing and manufacturing polymer nanocomposites. Much of the aerospace industry aims to develop inexpensive solutions to make their operations more economical. As such, methods like additive manufacturing are being considered for the fabrication of polymer nanocomposites.
The future of polymer nanocomposites appears promising because of their ever-increasing applications in the aerospace industry. However, significant advancements must be made to fully unlock the true potential of these nanostructures in the aerospace industry.
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References and Further Reading
Bhat, A. et al. (2021)' Review on nanocomposites based on aerospace applications', Nanotechnology Reviews, 10(1), pp. 237–253. https://doi.org/10.1515/ntrev-2021-0018.
MEYYAPPAN, M. (2005) 'Nanotechnology in aerospace applications, Advanced Materials and Processes, 163(12), pp. 21–23 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/235214261_Nanotechnology_in_Aerospace_Applications.
Njuguna, J., Pielichowski, K. and Fan, J. (2012) Polymer nanocomposites for aerospace applications, Advances in Polymer Nanocomposites: Types and Applications. Woodhead Publishing Limited. https://doi.org/10.1533/9780857096241.3.472.
Rathod, V. T., Kumar, J. S. and Jain, A. (2017) 'Polymer and ceramic nanocomposites for aerospace applications', Applied Nanoscience (Switzerland), 7(8), pp. 519–548. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13204-017-0592-9.
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