Fabrication and Characterization of Epoxy Resin/Carbon Fiber Composites Modified With Aligned Carbon Nanotubes Induced by Electric and Magnetic Fields

ABSTRACT Developing high‐performance epoxy resin/carbon fiber (EP/CF) composites with enhanced electrothermal deicing and heat transfer properties remains a challenging task. In this paper, an innovative electric and magnetic field‐assisted alignment method for carbon nanotubes (CNTs) was presented, which significantly improves the alignment and distribution of CNTs compared with conventional physical doping methods. This approach effectively enhances the deicing efficiency and heat transfer properties of EP/CF composites. The electrical and thermal conductivities, heat transfer, and electrothermal de‐icing performances of both unmodified and electro‐magnetically aligned CNTs modified EP/CF (A‐CNTs@EP/CF) composites were investigated. Finite element simulations were employed to analyze the thermal conduction of the composites, validating the enhancement of thermal management properties. Moreover, electrothermal deicing experiments were conducted to evaluate the performance of the A‐CNTs@EP/CF composites. The results demonstrated that the electrical conductivity of the A‐CNTs@EP composite increased by 75.86%, and the thermal conductivity increased by 36.5%, compared to the unmodified composites. The A‐CNTs@EP/CF composites exhibited a 66% improvement in electrothermal de‐icing efficiency and a 22.5% reduction in energy consumption compared to conventional EP/CF composites. These findings highlight the significant advantages of the electric and magnetic field‐assisted alignment method, which not only improves electrothermal de‐icing efficiency but also enhances heat transfer properties and reduces energy consumption, suggesting promising application prospects for advanced composite materials.