Photothermal NDE of UD/Epoxy-Based Carbon Fibre Reinforced Laminates for Quantitative Porosity Analysis

Abstract High strength and low density make epoxy-based CFRP a highly interesting construction material for the aerospace manufacturing industry. Porosity represents an unavoidable defect significantly weakens values dominated by matrix. To evaluate quality of safety-relevant components, non-destructive evaluation thus characterization porous structures is indispensable. Pulsed thermography fast, large-area non-contact testing method that enables efficient estimation parameters. In this work, authors demonstrate quantitative porosity pulsed on multi-axial laminate fabricated from unidirectional Prepregs first time. The characteristic, extensive expansion pores in fiber direction, addressed 3D microstructure Cone beam X-ray computed tomography data. Hence, application effective medium theories model based enabled. After investigation effect pore thermal diffusivity finite element simulations, photothermal sample with global volume $$\Phi =1.51\%$$ Φ = 1.51 % demonstrated. accuracy fast ( $$\Delta \Phi =0.63\%$$ Δ 0.63 ) comparable to standard ultrasonic method. Consequently, large, complex shaped UD/Epoxy composite components