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Zexin Zhu, Yingguang Li *, Jing Zhou

The manufacturing of advanced composite materials demands precise monitoring of critical parameters, like temperature and cure degree, during thermal curing processes. Microwave monitoring methods are extensively explored for their unique advantages in noncontact, easy-to-adjust, and field monitoring. Here, we report a type of microwave sensing technique based on a flexible metasurface to reach wireless monitoring during the curing process. Specifically, the proposed sensor architecture comprises a dual-layer design: a geometrically optimized copper resonant structure coupled with a functional dielectric layer, integrated onto composite surfaces. This configuration enables electromagnetic signature modulation through permittivity-dependent interactions with incident microwaves. To validate, our method was applied to two typical situations including temperature monitoring and cure degree monitoring. For temperature monitoring, a thermally responsive dielectric spacer was engineered to produce temperature-dependent resonance frequency shifts. Regarding cure degree assessment, the inherent permittivity variations of composite resin during polymerization were effectively captured through characteristic resonance peak evolution. Comparative validation with conventional monitoring methods confirmed the technique’s reliability and sensitivity, establishing a groundbreaking approach for wireless physical parameter quantification in composite manufacturing processes. This advancement offers substantial potential for smart manufacturing applications requiring non-destructive in-situ monitoring capabilities.

Keywords: Polymer-matrix composites; Curing; Microwave Sensing; Temperature monitoring; Cure degree monitoring. 

Proscience vol. 10

Pp 112-117

DOI: 10.14644/microwave25.019