The Boeing Company
Thermo-chromatic witness features for lightning strike indication in both metallic and composite structures

Abstract:

A system includes a structure and a material applied to a portion of the structure. The material may be adapted to change color locally in response to localized heating of the portion of the structure to a first threshold temperature due to an electrical current within the structure. The system may further include a detector configured to receive light from the structure to enable detection of a pathway of the electrical current through the structure based on a position of the color.