Electromagnetic interference and electrical conductivity characteristics of carbon/polycyanate composite with nanostrands^TM under tensile load

Abstract Electromagnetic interference (EMI) and electrostatic discharge (ESD) shielding effectiveness of M55/RS‐3 composite (i.e., carbon fiber in a toughened polycyanate resin matrix) combined with nickel nanostrands^TM was investigated when subjected to the monotonic tensile load. These were quantified in the terms of dB attenuation and sheet resistance, respectively. A baseline panel without nanostrands^TM and three lay‐ups with different locations of nickel nanostrands^TM layers were characterized. These locations were outside surfaces, dispersed throughout the laminate thickness or the mid‐plane. The nanostrands^TM are capable of providing EMI and ESD shielding protection without any detrimental effects on the mechanical behavior of the composite (i.e., damage mechanisms and ultimate tensile strength) under the tensile loading condition. The placement of nanostrands^TM on the exterior surfaces in the composite lay‐up provided better EMI and ESD shielding effectiveness. The EMI protection capability from nanostrands^TM at any location was practically constant with increasing tensile load up to the final fracture. However, sheet resistance did not change with increasing tensile load only when nanostrands^TM were placed at the outside surfaces. The nanostrands^TM layers were not damaged until the final composite fracture. POLYM. COMPOS., 31:1343–1351, 2010. © 2009 Society of Plastics Engineers