Experimental and Numerical Study on Lightning-Induced Damage in Cold-Spray-Metallized Thermoplastic CFRP

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Assistant professor Hiroki Saito, hiroki.saito.d6@tohoku.ac.jp; Wataru Kai, kai.wataru.q5@dc.tohoku.ac.jp; Associate Professor Yuji Ichikawa, ichikawa@tohoku.ac.jp; 
Professor Kazuhiro Okawa, kazuhiro.ogawa.b7@tohoku.ac.jp; 

Cold-spray metallization has emerged as a promising approach for enhancing lightning strike protection (LSP) in thermoplastic carbon fiber reinforced polymers (CFRTP), which are attracting increasing attention as next-generation structural materials due to their recyclability and processability. This study presents an experimental and numerical investigation into the damage mechanisms of cold-spray-metallized thermoplastic CFRTP subjected to simulated lightning strikes. Particular focus is placed on the sacrificial fracture behavior of the metal coating and the resulting thermomechanical response of the underlying composite. Failure modes in the coating include localized remelting, resolidification, and explosive fragmentation, while damage in the CFRTP substrate encompasses polymer ablation, fiber fracture, matrix cracking, and interlaminar delamination. Finite element simulations provide insight into transient temperature and electric current density distributions, supporting the interpretation of experimental observations. Based on these results, a coating design framework is proposed to optimize both lightning strike resistance and post-strike reparability for future CFRTP applications.

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Erscheinungsdatum

March 2026

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