New sensing technology of delamination in composite aircraft parts [Idea 2/3 selected by the Microtech Booster (4th loop)]
By using a new perovskite detector the project team could successfully demonstrate the advantages of this technology for the inspection of composite aircraft parts. Optimization runs are on-going in order to reduce further the lead-time of this non-destructive testing procedure.
Context and problematic
For the detection and characterization of delamination in composite (CFRP) aircraft parts, a non-destructive testing inspection can be performed by X-ray back-scattering with the tube and the detector positioned on the same side. However, this technique is very expensive, firstly because it uses high-Z materials – such as CdTe or CZT, difficult to process – or a thick germanium (Ge) layer, each of which requires cryogenic cooling. Moreover, their final size remains limited. Due to these technical boundaries and the high number of readings it involves, inspection times can be very long. It is therefore only associated with the use of other means – for example ultrasound and infrared – that this X-ray procedure can prove to be effective. But the procedure itself can also be improved. So the first basic project idea consists of using new absorption materials in a sensor with direct conversion mode to make X-ray detection more advantageous. Demonstration of the effectiveness of this new sensor for non-destructive testing could make it possible to envisage the creation of a fast, low-cost dual detection system.