In situ material state monitoring using embedded CdSe quantum dots

The development of new, smart materials capable of intrinsically detecting and communicating the occurrence of external loads and resultant damage present in a material will be crucial in the advancement of future structural health monitoring (SHM) and nondestructive evaluation (NDE) technologies. Traditionally, many SHM and NDE approaches have relied on the use of physical sensors to monitor a structure for damage, but are often hindered by their requirements for power consumption and large-scale data collection. In this work, we seek to evaluate the effectiveness of ultrasmall, white-light emitting Cadmium Selenide quantum dots (CdSe QDs) as an alternative to providing in-situ material state monitoring capabilities, while also aiming to reduce reliance on data collection and power consumption to effectively monitor a material and structure for damage. To achieve this goal, CdSe QDs are embedded in an optically clear epoxy composite matrix and exposed to external mechanical loadings. Initial results show a corresponding relationship between the shifts in observed emission spectra and external load for samples containing CdSe QDs. The effectiveness of CdSe QDs as a surface strain gauge on aluminum and fiberglass are also investigated in this paper. By monitoring changes in the emission spectra for materials containing CdSe QDs before, during and after the application of external loads, the effectiveness of CdSe QDs for communicating the occurrence of external loads acting on a material and detecting changes in material state is evaluated.