Mechanical and microstructural characterisation of multifunctional structural power composites

Although the inherent anisotropy of polymer composites has presented daunting technical challenges, these materials now offer engineers considerable opportunities for efficient structural design. More recently, the advent of multifunctional composites which can fulfill more than one role within a system has attracted considerable interest, providing designers with exciting opportunities to innovate [1]. Of particular interest here are structural power composites, which simultaneously carry mechanical load whilst storing/delivering electrical energy. Although the development of these composites is highly challenging, often with conflicting constituent requirements, the STORAGE consortium [2] has had considerable success in the development of these materials for automotive applications.