News

The ISIMON consortium held an in-person project meeting at RISE in Piteå, Sweden, on May 18, 2026. The meeting brought together the project partners to review technical progress, milestone and deliverable status, and the next steps toward sensor integration and validation in fibre-reinforced composite structures.

TU Chemnitz presented the latest developments in carbon-nanomaterial-based strain sensors and conductive carbon-based inks. The optimised MWCNT/epoxy sensor system demonstrated improved linearity, stability and reproducibility, with gauge factors of approximately 10 in initial mechanical testing.

The consortium discussed the next stage of sensor integration, including adhesion and encapsulation strategies, interface optimisation and the possible use of thin glass-fibre layers between the sensors and carbon-fibre plies.

Vacuum infusion was selected as the principal integration route for sensor-integrated composite laminates. The partners agreed that validation on flat composite laminates should be completed before progressing toward cylindrical and pressure-vessel structures.

Mechanical, pressure and thermal validation activities were also coordinated. Digital Image Correlation (DIC) was discussed as an optical reference technique for comparing strain fields with the electrical response of the integrated sensors.

The visit to the RISE facilities also provided the consortium with an opportunity to discuss composite manufacturing, pressure-vessel structures and upcoming experimental validation activities directly around relevant specimens and demonstrators.

The ISIMON consortium held its mid-term project meeting online on December 5, 2025. The meeting focused on reviewing technical progress, assessing milestone and deliverable status, identifying technical challenges and coordinating the next phase of the project.

TU Chemnitz presented progress in CNT-based strain sensors using epoxy-based nanocomposites. Improved CNT dispersion resulted in enhanced and more linear sensor performance, with gauge factors of approximately 7–10.

In parallel, carbon-based conductive inks containing CNT/graphene materials were developed as alternatives to conventional PCB or silver electrodes, providing increased manufacturing flexibility for future sensor integration.

Riga Technical University reported further optimisation and validation of finite-element models for composite pressure vessels. The modelling activities demonstrated the capability to distinguish damage mechanisms and support the generation of data for machine-learning-based structural health monitoring.

RISE presented experimental results from sensor-integrated composite laminates. Cyclic four-point bending tests showed clear relationships between mechanical loading, strain and electrical resistance, while damage-related events such as cracking and delamination were reflected in the sensor response.

The consortium confirmed solid technical progress and agreed on the next steps, including fabrication and shipment of updated sensors, further mechanical testing, validation of simulation models and preparation of upcoming technical and milestone reports.