SEDL / STP / STP768-EB / STP29357S

Environmental Exposure of Carbon/Epoxy Composite Material Systems

Givler, RC
Graduate student, graduate student, and professor, Center,

Gillespie, JW
Graduate student, graduate student, and professor, Center,

Pipes, RB
Graduate student, graduate student, and professor, Center,

Pages: 11    Published: Jan 1982

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Abstract

The effect of potentially adverse environmental conditions on composite material systems is investigated. Hybrid glass-carbon/epoxy laminates were thermally cycled between −54 and +177°C, and residual compressive and flexural properties determined. Results indicate that extended thermal cycling had only negligible effect on laminate compressive or flexural strength. Observed cracks in the 90-deg and adjacent ±45-deg plies were observed and their existence predicted by laminate analysis, which showed thermal residual stresses to exceed the intrinsic material strength in those plies. Thermal fatigue loading increased crack density in the 90-deg and ±45-deg laminae eight-fold, subsequent to 1000 cycles.