Researchers from IMDEA Materials Institute have developed a multifunctional Kevlar-based composite material capable of combining structural performance with integrated strain sensing, electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding and de-icing functionalities.
The work, featured in Composites Part B: Engineering, demonstrates how laser-induced graphene (LIG) can be directly generated on Kevlar fabrics and incorporated into advanced composite laminates through a scalable manufacturing process.
Traditional fibre-reinforced polymer composites are widely used in sectors such as aerospace, transport and energy because of their high strength-to-weight ratio. However, these materials typically provide only structural functionality.
Integrating additional capabilities such as real-time monitoring, electromagnetic protection or thermal management often requires external devices or added components that increase complexity and weight.
To overcome these limitations, the research team developed a strategy to create laser-induced graphene directly on the surface of Kevlar fabrics through laser photothermal conversion.
The resulting modified Kevlar layer was then integrated into basalt fiber/biobased epoxy laminates using vacuum infusion, a manufacturing process compatible with industrial-scale production. This will facilitate its adoption in sectors including electrical mobility, wind turbines etc.
The study also demonstrated that the modified surface could be incorporated without compromising the structural integrity of the composite.
The laser-treated Kevlar layer also enabled several advanced functionalities simultaneously including in-situ strain sensing, which allowed the composite to monitor deformation through piezoresistive response with a gauge factor close to 1.0.
It also demonstrated Joule heating and de-icing capability, achieving temperatures above 50 °C at low voltage and successfully removing ice at -40 °C within five minutes. This increases the potential use cases, such as safer electric vehicle battery enclosures where health monitoring, thermal management and electromagnetic shielding will be integrated into a single component.
Despite these promising results, the authors point to several challenges that must be addressed before the technology can move towards industrialisation. These include limitations in the resin infusion process, particularly regarding precise thickness control and the ability to develop more accurate theoretical models.
In addition, the electromechanical stability of externally applied electrical contacts remains a challenge under high-cycle mechanical fatigue conditions. Repeated thermal cycles associated with Joule heating could also lead to localised thermal degradation phenomena within the epoxy matrix.
“As such, further research will focus on optimising LIG morphology and developing structurally embedded robust electrodes to mitigate these structural and cycling-related challenges,” stated the publication’s authors.
The research was carried out by Profs. Carlos González and De Yi Wang, Dr. Xiang Ao, and Moises Zarzoso from IMDEA Materials Institute, together with Dr. Antonio Vázquez López and Ignacio Collado from the Rey Juan Carlos University, Dr. José Sánchez del Río Sáez from the Technical University of Madrid, and Drs. Borja Plaza Gallardo and David Poyotas Martínez from the National Institute for Aerospace Technology (INTA).