Actuation of bistable laminates by conductive polymer nanocomposites for use in thermal-mechanical aerosurface de-icing systems

This paper considers a novel electro-thermal system combining aligned carbon nanotubes (A-CNT) as a resistive heater and bistable laminates. The use of A-CNT heaters to actuate bistable laminates is characterized in terms of steady-state shape as a function of applied voltage to the heating element and the transient response of the laminate to heating. Snap-through from one stable state to another was successfully achieved with a linear relationshiop between laminate curvature and applied voltage up to the snap-through event. Thermal actuation of a bistable wing skin has the potential for an efficient multifunctional thermo-mechanical ice protection system (IPS); using heat to address antiand de-icing, and secondly using thermal actuation of the bistable laminate to deform or mechanically disturb the skin to initiate debond of the ice-skin interface.