Evaluation of thermal degradation on carbon fiber/cyanate ester composites

A fundamental problem of advanced airplane composite systems is the lack of understanding of the aging process and how it affects the material propert ies associated with degradation. A cyanate ester resin/carbon fiber composi te system was subjected to an accelerated aging environment to investigate the deterioration and degradation process. The change in viscoelastic prope rties of cured laminates in the range of the glass transition temperature w as studied. Thermo-mechanical property changes were evaluated by dynamic me chanical analysis (DMA) through time-temperature equivalence. Master curves were constructed to compare the aging effect between specimens and a model was developed that described the degradation phenomena. During the aging p rocess, a swelling phenomenon of cured laminates was detected as a result o f matrix degradation. Collectively, a modeling methodology was developed th at quantitatively provides an understanding of the aging process of fiber r einforced composites in isothermal environments. (C) 2001 Published by Else vier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.