NASA maintains the ability to track a large majority of objects in Earth’s orbit, however lack the ability to track objects smaller than five centimeters in diameter. These untrackable objects represent a significant danger to inflatable structures. This work seeks to synthesize and fabricate a self-healable, passive, dielectric elastomer impact sensor for structural health monitoring on inflatable space structures subject to impact by micrometeoroids and orbital debris. In a setting in which impact repairs can be extremely costly, the implementation of such a technology would not only alert personnel of such an event but would also serve to decrease the cost and time of repairs. This investigation synthesizes an intrinsically self-healing poly(dimethylsiloxane) via a supra-molecular network of multi-strength hydrogen bonds. The modified poly(dimethylsiloxane) network must be effective in harsh environments, particularly extremely low temperatures, as well as retain the dielectric properties of poly(dimethylsiloxane). Self-healing efficiency, stretchability and flexibility are also desirable properties to attain. Integration of the manufactured sensor arrays around a layer of woven ceramic fiber with conductive fabric electrodes, hypervelocity impact testing, and self-healing efficiency tests are performed and confirm the sensors capabilities. The performed tests demonstrate a measurable change in capacitance associated with impact damage and location. Success is represented by passive operation and the penetrated sensors’ ability to self-repair without compromising the sensors impact detection capabilities.
","abstract_html":"<p>NASA maintains the ability to track a large majority of objects in Earth’s orbit, however lack the ability to track objects smaller than five centimeters in diameter. These untrackable objects represent a significant danger to inflatable structures. This work seeks to synthesize and fabricate a self-healable, passive, dielectric elastomer impact sensor for structural health monitoring on inflatable space structures subject to impact by micrometeoroids and orbital debris. In a setting in which impact repairs can be extremely costly, the implementation of such a technology would not only alert personnel of such an event but would also serve to decrease the cost and time of repairs. This investigation synthesizes an intrinsically self-healing poly(dimethylsiloxane) via a supra-molecular network of multi-strength hydrogen bonds. The modified poly(dimethylsiloxane) network must be effective in harsh environments, particularly extremely low temperatures, as well as retain the dielectric properties of poly(dimethylsiloxane). Self-healing efficiency, stretchability and flexibility are also desirable properties to attain. Integration of the manufactured sensor arrays around a layer of woven ceramic fiber with conductive fabric electrodes, hypervelocity impact testing, and self-healing efficiency tests are performed and confirm the sensors capabilities. The performed tests demonstrate a measurable change in capacitance associated with impact damage and location. Success is represented by passive operation and the penetrated sensors’ ability to self-repair without compromising the sensors impact detection capabilities.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Smith, Nicholas"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering","degree_level":"Thesis - Open Access","degree_discipline":"Aerospace Engineering","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2022,"date_issued":"2022-10-01T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2022-10-01T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-27T19:25:16Z","subjects":["Self-Healing","Dielectric Elastomers","Structural Health Monitoring","Structures and Materials"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://commons.erau.edu/edt/709","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Smith, Nicholas"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Aerospace Engineering"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Thesis - Open Access"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Self-Healing","Dielectric Elastomers","Structural Health Monitoring","Structures and Materials"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://commons.erau.edu/edt/709"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["NASA maintains the ability to track a large majority of objects in Earth’s orbit, however lack the ability to track objects smaller than five centimeters in diameter. These untrackable objects represent a significant danger to inflatable structures. This work seeks to synthesize and fabricate a self-healable, passive, dielectric elastomer impact sensor for structural health monitoring on inflatable space structures subject to impact by micrometeoroids and orbital debris. In a setting in which impact repairs can be extremely costly, the implementation of such a technology would not only alert personnel of such an event but would also serve to decrease the cost and time of repairs. This investigation synthesizes an intrinsically self-healing poly(dimethylsiloxane) via a supra-molecular network of multi-strength hydrogen bonds. The modified poly(dimethylsiloxane) network must be effective in harsh environments, particularly extremely low temperatures, as well as retain the dielectric properties of poly(dimethylsiloxane). Self-healing efficiency, stretchability and flexibility are also desirable properties to attain. Integration of the manufactured sensor arrays around a layer of woven ceramic fiber with conductive fabric electrodes, hypervelocity impact testing, and self-healing efficiency tests are performed and confirm the sensors capabilities. The performed tests demonstrate a measurable change in capacitance associated with impact damage and location. Success is represented by passive operation and the penetrated sensors’ ability to self-repair without compromising the sensors impact detection capabilities.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Passive, Self-Healable, Dielectric Elastomers for Structural Health Monitoring"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:creator":["Smith, Nicholas"],"dc:description.abstract":["NASA maintains the ability to track a large majority of objects in Earth’s orbit, however lack the ability to track objects smaller than five centimeters in diameter. These untrackable objects represent a significant danger to inflatable structures. This work seeks to synthesize and fabricate a self-healable, passive, dielectric elastomer impact sensor for structural health monitoring on inflatable space structures subject to impact by micrometeoroids and orbital debris. In a setting in which impact repairs can be extremely costly, the implementation of such a technology would not only alert personnel of such an event but would also serve to decrease the cost and time of repairs. This investigation synthesizes an intrinsically self-healing poly(dimethylsiloxane) via a supra-molecular network of multi-strength hydrogen bonds. The modified poly(dimethylsiloxane) network must be effective in harsh environments, particularly extremely low temperatures, as well as retain the dielectric properties of poly(dimethylsiloxane). Self-healing efficiency, stretchability and flexibility are also desirable properties to attain. Integration of the manufactured sensor arrays around a layer of woven ceramic fiber with conductive fabric electrodes, hypervelocity impact testing, and self-healing efficiency tests are performed and confirm the sensors capabilities. The performed tests demonstrate a measurable change in capacitance associated with impact damage and location. Success is represented by passive operation and the penetrated sensors’ ability to self-repair without compromising the sensors impact detection capabilities.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://commons.erau.edu/edt/709"],"dc:subject":["Self-Healing","Dielectric Elastomers","Structural Health Monitoring","Structures and Materials"],"dc:title":["Passive, Self-Healable, Dielectric Elastomers for Structural Health Monitoring"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Aerospace Engineering"],"thesis:degree_level":["Thesis - Open Access"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-27T19:25:16Z"}