Dimensional stability of epoxy-based and cyanate-based carbon fiber-reinforced plastics

Abstract

In this article, the dimensional stability of epoxy- and cyanate-based laminates is discussed, focusing on the thermal deformation, moisture-induced deformation, and deformation induced by relaxation of thermal residual stress. Each of the deformations was calculated independently based on the laminate theory. The material properties of the unidirectional laminates were obtained by conducting thermal mechanical analysis, moisture absorption tests, and tensile creep tests. These material properties were adopted to the laminate theory to predict the deformation of quasi-isotropic laminate, and it was calculated that each type of deformation induced micron-level dimensional instability. The moisture-induced deformation was an order of magnitude larger than that caused by the other factors. The validity of the calculations was confirmed by comparing the calculated results with the experimental ones. It is important to control moisture absorption even if cyanate resin, which has high moisture resistance, is used.

Keywords

Polymer–matrix composites laminate mechanics moisture absorption stress relaxation

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Wolff

. Introduction to the dimensional stability of composite materials , Lancaster, PA: Destech Publication, 2004, pp. 419–419.

Ozaki

Naito

Mikami

. High precision composite pipes for SOLAR-B optical structures. Acta Astronautica 2001; 48: 321–329.

Niels

Hans

UNN

Jorgen

. CFRP lightweight structures for extremely large telescope. Compos Struct 2008; 82: 310–316.

Ozaki T and Hahn S. Composite materials for extremely large mirror and optical structures. In: SPIE proceedings, second Backaskog workshop on extremely large telescopes, Backaskog, Sweden, 9 September 2004, vol. 5382, pp. 305–312.

Romeo RC and Martin RN. Progress in 1m-class, lightweight, CFRP composite mirrors for the ULTRA telescope. SPIE proceedings, optomechanical technologies for astronomy, 14 June 2006, vol. 6273.

Ishikawa

Fukunaga

Ono

. Design method of composite laminates with a controlled coefficient of thermal expansion (in Japanese). Iron Steel Inst Japan 1981; 9: 1440–1447.

Arao

Koyanagi

Utsunomiya

. Effect of ply angle misalignment on the out-of-plane deformation of symmetric cross-ply CFRP laminates: accuracy of the ply alignment. Compos Struct 2011; 93: 1225–1230.

Arao

Koyanagi

Utsunomiya

. Analysis of thermal deformation on a honeycomb sandwich CFRP mirror. Mech Adv Mater Struct 2010; 17: 328–334.

Arao

Koyanagi

Takeda

. Out-of-plane deformation due to the ply angle misalignment in CFRP laminate: the effect of stacking sequence on thermal deformation. Trans Japan Soc Mech Eng 2011; 77: 38–47.

10.

Hinckley

. Statistical evaluation of the variation in laminated composite properties resulting from ply angle misalignment. Proc SPIE 1990; 1303: 497–511.

11.

Arao

Koyanagi

Utsunomiya

. Analysis of time-dependent deformation of a CFRP mirror under hot and humid conditions. Mech Time-Dependent Mater 2009; 13: 183–197.

12.

Niwa

Arao

Kawada

. Time-dependent deformation of CFRP quasi-isotropic laminate caused by relaxation of thermal residual stress and physical aging. Trans Japan Soc Mech Eng 2013; 79: 950–960.

13.

Morgan

Madhukar

Walsh

. Moisture degradation of cyanate ester/S2 glass composite insulation systems. J Compos Mater 2009; 10: 821–837.

14.

Gibson RF. Principles of composite material mechanics. 3rd ed. Florida: CRC Press, 2012, p. 683.

15.

Abdel-Magid BM and Gates TS. Accelerated testing of polymeric composites using the dynamic mechanical analyzer. Report, NASA 2003 TP-212407.

16.

Goertzen

Kessler

. Creep behavior of carbon fiber/epoxy matrix composites. Mater Sci Eng A 2006; 421: 217–225.

17.

Miyano

Nakada

. Effect of physical aging on the creep deformation of an epoxy resin. Mech Time-Dependent Mater 2000; 4: 9–20.

18.

Schapery

. Thermal expansion coefficients of composite materials based on energy principles. J Compos Mater 1968; 2: 380–404.

19.

Shen

Springer

. Moisture absorption and desorption of composite materials. J Compos Mater 1976; 10: 2–20.

20.

Choi

Ahn

Nam

. Hygroscopic aspects of epoxy/carbon fiber composite laminates in aircraft environment. Compos Part A 2001; 32: 709–720.

21.

Arao

Koyanagi

Okudoi

. Prediction of the relaxation behavior of residual stress in CFRP cross-ply laminate. J Solid Mech Mater Eng 2010; 4: 1595–1604.

22.

Cowley

Beaumont

PWR

. The measurement and prediction of residual stresses in carbon-fibre/polymer composites. Compos Sci Technol 1997; 57: 1445–1455.

23.

Sun

. The characterization of physical aging in polymeric composites. Compos Sci Technol 2000; 60: 2693–2698.

24.

Wang

Parvatareddy

Chang

. Physical aging behavior of high-performance composites. Compos Sci Technol 1995; 54: 405–415.

25.

Goertzen

Kessler

. Creep behavior of carbon fiber/epoxy matrix composites. Mater Sci Eng A 2006; 421: 217–225.

26.

Arao

Okudoi

Takeda

. Prediction of time-dependent dimensional change induced by thermal residual stress relaxation in CFRP cross-ply laminates. Trans Japan Soc Mech Eng 2011; 77: 1238–1246.

27.

Kim

Crasto

Schoeppner

. Dimensional stability of composite in a space thermal environment. Compos Sci Technol 2000; 60: 2601–2608.