The Influence of Graphene Oxide on the electrical conduction in unidirectional CFRP laminates for wind turbine blade applications

The incorporation of composite CFRP in wind turbine blades to allow for longer and lighter blades challenges the efficiency of their lightning protection system. The electrical anisotropy of CFRP materials is a key factor and affects their performance. The present study investigates the influence of adding Graphene Oxide (GO) nano inclusions to CFRP as a means to improve their electrical conductivity in the transverse and through-thickness directions. Epoxy resin containing GO in filler contents of 5wt% and 6wt% was prepared and infused in unidirectional (UD) laminates. The GO nanofiller was dispersed in the epoxy resin prior to the infusion by means of speed mixing. The sample morphology was examined by optical microscopy. DC electrical resistance measurements were conducted in the transverse and through-thickness directions to quantify the influence of the nanofiller. For both filler volume contents an increase was observed for both the transverse and through-thickness directions compared to the neat CFRP.