The present study employs an electrothermal vacuum bag curing process utilising carbon nanotube (CNT) films for the purpose of repairing defects in carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) laminates. Due to its superior properties, CFRP has found extensive application in the aerospace industry and other sectors. However, conventional repair methods struggle to address internal defects, such as delamination, effectively. This study combined direct current Joule heating with vacuum bag curing, employing CNT films to repair CFRP laminates with three layup configurations: pure 0 degrees, orthotropic layup, and their corresponding DD layups. After this, a comprehensive evaluation of the mechanical properties was conducted. The results demonstrated that at 10 V, the CNT film uniformly maintained a curing temperature of 126.5 degrees C. After rectifying, the specimens showed an enhancement in bending strength that surpassed the initial levels. The eight-layer patches exhibited optimal performance, shear strength and flexural modulus that approximated those observed in the pristine material. Initial strength reduction and deflection loss due to interfacial failure remained below 15%, outperforming traditional prepreg repairs that recover only 76% strength. Furthermore, the CNT film possesses in-situ monitoring capability, exhibiting significant electrical resistance increases during interfacial damage for early warning. Microscopic analysis revealed primary damage as interfacial and intra-patch delamination, yet the repaired region retained substantial load-bearing capacity. In summary, this technology combines efficient repair with real-time monitoring, thus offering a novel approach to enhancing the safety and reliability of composite structures.
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