Thermal expansion of selected graphite-reinforced polyimide-, epoxy-, and glass-matrix composites

Journal Article · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1987 · Int. J. Thermophys.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00503228· OSTI ID:6614927

Tompkins, S S

The thermal expansion of continuous carbon-fiber reinforced composites with epoxy-, polyimide-, and borosilicate glass-matrices has been measured and compared. The expansion of a rubber-toughened epoxy-matrix/P75S carbon-fiber composite was very different from the expansion of two different single-phase epoxy-matrix/P75S composites, although all three had the same stacking sequence. Reasonable agreement was obtained between measured thermal expansion data and results from classical laminate theory. Microdamage in the graphite/polyimide laminate, induced by 250 cycles between - 156 and 121/sup 0/C, caused a 53% decrease in the coefficient of thermal expansion. The thermal expansion of the graphite/glass laminate was not changed after 100 thermal cycles from - 129 to 38/sup 0/C; however, a residual strain of about 10 x 10/sup -6/ was observed for the laminate tested.

• Research Organization: NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA
• OSTI ID: 6614927
• Journal Information: Int. J. Thermophys.; (United States), Journal Name: Int. J. Thermophys.; (United States) Vol. 8:1; ISSN IJTHD
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360603* -- Materials-- Properties
BOROSILICATE GLASS
CARBON
CARBON FIBERS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
COMPOSITE MATERIALS
ELEMENTAL MINERALS
ELEMENTS
EPOXIDES
EXPANSION
FIBERS
GLASS
GRAPHITE
HEAT RESISTANT MATERIALS
IMIDES
LAYERS
MATERIALS
MATERIALS TESTING
MATRIX MATERIALS
MINERALS
NONMETALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
REINFORCED MATERIALS
SPACE VEHICLES
STRESSES
TEMPERATURE EFFECTS
TESTING
THERMAL CYCLING
THERMAL DEGRADATION
THERMAL EXPANSION
THERMAL STRESSES
VEHICLES