SELF-RE-PREG: Self-Sensing Interleaving for Recycled Prepreg

This PhD will be partly funded by an Italian Ministry of University project aiming at developing a composite laminate material made from scrapped pre-pre, with a piezoelectric nano sensor embedded to provide information on mechanical properties, and health monitoring.

The project first aims to develop a tool suitable for designing with the new material, and then to manufacture and test a battery pack to validate both the material and the embedded sensor. Activities will be carried out in collaboration with the Mechanical Engineering department of University of Bologna.

The project here proposed aims to encourage the use of scrapped prepreg by developing a tool to design with scrapped patch, and to interleave a piezoelectric powder that would confer self-sensing properties.

The composite material here meant to be developed shall have an embedded sensor that, without hindering the mechanical properties of the host, confers useful self-sensing feature.

Once the material will be defined, characterized and tested, a battery pack for electric vehicle shall be designed, manufactured and tested, to validate both the design process and the self- sensing characteristics.

The final result of the project will be achieved with the combination and integration of the following elements: Theory of laminates, Analysis of composite’s failure modes, Numerical simulation of composites, Optimisation, Validation and testing.

The candidate will have the chance of spending 6 months abroad in a foreign university during the PhD.