In-Situ Wire Damage Detection System

A damage detection system comprising:

• (a) an electrically conductive wire core, covered with
• (b) an electrically insulative material layer, completely or partially covered with
• (c) an electrically conductive material layer, covered with
• (d) an electrically insulative layer;
• wherein layer (c) is electrically connected to
• (e) an electrical signal generator adapted to deliver electrical signals to layer (c);
• and
• (f) a detector circuit electrically linked to (c) and adapted to detect the electrical signals in layer (c) and process data about the electrical signals in layer (c) to identify flaws in at least one layer of the system;
• wherein layer (c) is (i) a composite material comprising a conductive polymer having amino groups or cationic groups, and carbon nanotubes covalently modified with acidic groups or hydroxyls;
• (ii) a material comprising carbon fibers;
• (iii) a thin metal coating;
• or (iv) a composite material comprising a conductive polymer and metal nanoparticles.

A method of detecting damage comprising:

• delivering one or more test electrical signals to an electrically conductive material in a continuous or noncontinuous layer covering a substrate;
• detecting the electrical signals in the electrically conductive material layer to obtain data about the electrical signals in the electrically conductive material layer;
• processing the data to identify damage in the electrically conductive material layer or the substrate;
• wherein the electrically conductive material of layer (b) is (i) a composite material;
• (ii) a material comprising metalized carbon fibers;
• (iii) a thin metal coating;
• (iv) a conductive polymer;
• (v) carbon nanotubes;
• (vi) metal nanoparticles;
• or (vii) a combination thereof.

A wire damage detection system comprising:

• an electrically conductive wire core;
• an impact detection patch, fiber, or layer overlaying the wire core, comprising a triboluminescent material;
• optically linked to
• a photovoltaic material that generates electrical current in response to light emission by the triboluminescent material;
• linked to
• a detector adapted to detect current from the photovoltaic material and process information about the current to identify impacts to the electrical wire.