Abstract: In this paper, carbon nanotubes were dispersed uniformly into vinyl ester resin at a concentration of 1wt% by ultrasonic to form a conductive resin. Continuous glass fibers were then impregnated with the conductive as well as non-conductive resins to fabricate combined electricity conductor and electricity resistant angle-plied laminates. So a conductive network was formed along the width direction but not through the thickness. Four-layer 20°, 30° and 40° angle-plied laminates under tensile load were studied. By measuring and observing a jump variation in the resistances of the conductive laminate, a delamination initiation load level of the laminate under a uniaxial tension at a specific position was determined. Two distribution ways of conductive and non-conductive resin were used, and both of them could reach the aim of detecting the delamination initiation. But the jump did not always appear, because the delamination might not destroy the conductive network. The all-conductive laminates was also tested. The jump was not that obvious as the laminates with both conductive and non-conductive resins.

Key words: carbon nanotubes, laminate, delamination initiation, damage detection