Thermal Expansion Behaviour of Thermoplastic Composite Materials

Abstract

The thermal expansion behaviour of a number of commercially-available and experimental continuous fibre-reinforced PEEK composites is assessed. The thermal expansion characteristics of Hercules AS4 reinforced PEEK (APC-2/AS4, ICI Fiberite) are reported in some detail, and it is shown that behaviour is both reasonable and predict able. Further, it is found that repeated thermal cycling between —160°C and + 120°C (—256°F and +248°F) has no effect on the behaviour of unidirectional laminates, and that the inherent characteristics of the composite are likely to promote such insensitivity.

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