Stress sensor that detects cracks in structures, aircrafts

N RSU faculty claims to make its prototype in 3 years

Yogesh Mishra

Raipur, February 03, 2010

In future, nanotechnology will play key role in maintaining aircraft and there will be stress or pressure sensors to monitor its skin. These sensors are used in aircraft paints which start emitting light as soon as it detect fissures or dents. The faculty members of School of Studies in Physics and Astrophysics at Pt Ravishankar Shukla Uiversity (RSU) are engaged in both theoretical and experimental research of these sensors.

If a bird collides with an airplane the consequences can be fatal and the impact can deform the structure of the aircraft fuselage causing stresses in the material which can later turn into cracks. In future, sensors in the aircraft skin will detect such damage at an early stage and simplify maintenance and repair work.

The applications for these sensors are numerous. They could be used in big structures including bridges, buildings or any other giant civil or industrial structure where formation of cracks can be pose threat to public life. Their use in the medical and automobile sectors is feasible too.

Professor Namita Brahme, one of the researchers, informed that they are working on nanosize aluminates which are highly mechano luminescent. If these aluminates would be mixed with paints, it would work as strong stress or pressure sensor, she said.

The research group is confident to make the prototype of the optimised aluminates in next three years.

The other researcher Prof DP Bisen informed that their presentation on study of aluminates and oxide phosphors won award at Indo-Russian workshop on nanotechnology and laser induced plasma – 2009 (IRNANO-2009). The workshop was organized by Delhi University and National Physical Laboratory and Luminescence Society of India.