Nanoparticles Dispersion Assessment by a Novel Pulsed Laser‐Induced Micro Thermography Technique

This work wants to propose an innovative nondestructive pulsed thermographic approach utilizing a nanosecond pulsed laser as a heat source for assessing the presence of nanoparticles aggregates in nanocomposites. Different degrees of dispersion levels of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) enriched epoxy resin nanocomposites were investigated with a cooled infrared camera equipped with a macro lens to improve the geometric resolution of the images (up to 6 μm). The technique successfully exploits the concentrated energy flux delivered by the laser in a short time, allowing for a significant improvement in energetic resolution. CNTs clusters with sizes as low as 6.8 μm were identified by image analysis algorithms as embedded in the matrix with well-defined contours. This research represents a significant advancement in image quality and time reduction for fast non-destructive evaluations (NDE) in the field of nanocomposites. In turn, the process is suitable for automated in-line quality control of manufactured parts that must meet desired specifications.