Effect of morphology,topology and structural configuration of piezoresistive glass textile sensors on its electromechanical performance for in situ damage detection in glass textile reinforced composites

Abstract

Advanced sensing materials have been developed to address the demands for structural health monitoring (SHM) in composites. This work presents a systematic investigation of dual-topology piezoresistive glass textile sensors employing reduced graphene oxide (rGO) with chitosan as a biocompatible binding agent. The study uniquely compares surface-coating and matrix-impregnation fabrication methods, exploring the effects of nanoparticle concentration (0.2–3% rGO), sensor geometry and spatial positioning on electromechanical performance. Core contributions include the following: demonstration that rGO_(1%) achieves gauge factors of upto 22, substantially exceeding conventional strain gauges and approaching fibre Bragg grating capabilities; titanium dioxide/rGO hybrid mechanism that amplifies strain sensitivity through controlled disruption of conductive pathways; identification of topology-specific performance characteristics enabling application-specific sensor customisation for aerospace, automotive and civil infrastructure domains; seamless in situ integration during composite manufacturing without requiring post-production attachment. The electromechanical response validates real-time strain sensing capability in glass fibre-reinforced composites, establishing an effective in situ damage detection platform with quantifiable performance advantages over conventional SHM methodologies.