Thermal Ageing Mitigation of FRP Composites Using Vascular Networks

Author(s):  
Katarzyna Boba ◽  
Ian Bond ◽  
Richard Trask

Incorporation of multifunctionality to fibre reinforced polymer composite materials delivers many benefits. One example includes improved longevity of components through increasing permissible temperatures of operation, which could be achieved via in-situ cooling. As the temperature of composite components approaches the glass transition temperature (Tg) of the matrix, thermal stress induced ageing greatly increases [1], [2], thus the incentive for integrated cooling. In order to assess the damage, which could be caused by exposure to elevated temperatures, isothermal ageing was performed at a temperature 15°C lower than the materials Tg (2200 hours at 110°C). Material used in this study is a carbon/epoxy prepreg system (Gurit, SE70), with a Tg of 126°C when cured at 110°C. Results have shown a significant drop in Short Beam Shear (SBS) Strength starting after exposure for 1700h and increase in fibre bridging seen in mode I Double Cantilever Beam (DCB) testing. Fracture surface analysis using SEM indicated that fibres were generally less well bonded to the matrix, with visible changes began occurring as early as 1000h exposure. These results indicate that extended exposure of a material at near Tg temperatures has a detrimental effect on material properties. To mitigate against this phenomenon, a series of tests were performed on SBS and DCB specimens in a raised temperature (110°C) environment, which incorporated in-situ cooling. The specimens were placed in an oven at 110°C and were cooled down to a constant temperature of 60°C via the internal vascular cooling arrangement. Further testing is underway to assess the inhibition of ageing and maintenance of the original composite material by active cooling using embedded vascular networks.

1991 ◽  
Vol 235 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Johnson ◽  
K. Hjemsted ◽  
B. Schmidt ◽  
K. K. Bourdelle ◽  
A. Johansen ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTIon implantation of lead or indium into aluminium results in spontaneous phase separation and formation of lead or indium precipitates. The precipitates grow in topotactical alignment with the matrix, giving TEM images characterized by moiré fringes. The size and density of the precipitates increase with increasing fluence until coalescence begins to occur. Implantations at elevated temperatures lead to formation of larger precipitates with well developed facets. This is particularly significant for implantations above the bulk melting point of the implanted species. Melting and solidification have been followed by in-situ TEM heating and cooling experiments. Superheating up to ∼ 50 K above the bulk melting point has been observed, and the largest inclusions melt first. Melting is associated with only partial loss of facetting of the largest inclusions. Initial growth of the inclusions occurs by trapping of atoms retained in supersaturated solution. Further growth occurs by coalescence of neighbouring inclusions in the liquid phase. Solidification is accompanied by a strong undercooling ∼ 30 K below the bulk melting point, where the smallest inclusions solidify first. Solidification is characterized by spontaneous restoration of the facets and the topotactical alignment.


Author(s):  
Mihaela Albu ◽  
Bernd Panzirsch ◽  
Hartmuth Schröttner ◽  
Stefan Mitsche ◽  
Klaus Reichmann ◽  
...  

Powder and SLM additively manufactured parts of X5CrNiCuNb17-4 maraging steel were systematically investigated by electron microscopy to understand the relationship between the properties of the powder grains and the microstructure of the printed parts. We prove that satellites, irregularities and superficial oxidation of powder particles can be transformed into an advantage through the formation of nanoscale (AlMnSiTiCr)-oxides in the matrix during the printing process. The nano-oxides showed extensive stability in terms of size, spherical morphology, chemical composition and crystallographic disorder upon in situ heating up to 950°C in the scanning transmission electron microscope. Their presence thus indicates a potential for oxide-dispersive strengthening of this steel, which may be beneficial for creep resistance at elevated temperatures. The nucleation of copper clusters and their evolution into nanoparticles as well as the precipitation of Ni and Cr particles upon in situ heating have as well been systematically documented.


Author(s):  
Jim Cole ◽  
Ian Bond ◽  
Andrew Lawrie

Abstract Fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP) composite materials are limited in high temperature applications by the matrix glass transition temperature, Tg. At and above this temperature, significant mechanical performance is lost, and degradation processes accelerated. This research explores the use of internal passages, or vascules, within the laminate to carry a coolant fluid, absorbing heat energy and cooling the material. A custom thermal chamber and four-point flexural test fixture were developed to perform in-situ thermo-mechanical testing. Vascular and non-vascular carbon/epoxy specimens were manufactured, containing arrays of four 1.1 mm diameter vascules. Specimens were exposed to temperatures from ambient to 170 °C (Tg = 200 °C). Flexural modulus varied little with temperature across all tests. Non-vascular specimens at 170 °C showed a reduction in ultimate strength of 21 % compared to under ambient conditions. The presence of vascules caused a small improvement in flexural modulus and strength, due to displacement of a small number of 0° fibre tows further from the neutral axis as a result of the manufacturing process. At 15 L·min−1 coolant flow, vascular specimens showed full retention of strength compared to non-vascular specimens at ambient, demonstrating the potential mechanical performance benefits.


Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (24) ◽  
pp. 7784
Author(s):  
Mihaela Albu ◽  
Bernd Panzirsch ◽  
Hartmuth Schröttner ◽  
Stefan Mitsche ◽  
Klaus Reichmann ◽  
...  

Powder and selective laser melting (SLM) additively manufactured parts of X5CrNiCuNb17-4 maraging steel were systematically investigated by electron microscopy to understand the relationship between the properties of the powder grains and the microstructure of the printed parts. We prove that satellites, irregularities and superficial oxidation of powder particles can be transformed into an advantage through the formation of nanoscale (AlMnSiTiCr) oxides in the matrix during the printing process. The nano-oxides showed extensive stability in terms of size, spherical morphology, chemical composition and crystallographic disorder upon in situ heating in the scanning transmission electron microscope up to 950 °C. Their presence thus indicates a potential for oxide-dispersive strengthening of this steel, which may be beneficial for creep resistance at elevated temperatures. The nucleation of copper clusters and their evolution into nanoparticles, and the precipitation of Ni and Cr particles upon in situ heating, have been systematically documented as well.


2018 ◽  
Vol 31 (6) ◽  
pp. 623-630 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yiqun Wang ◽  
Shiyi Zhou ◽  
Haiying Du ◽  
Wentao Zhang

Fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites with thermosetting resin matrices are widely used in civil engineering (e.g. pultruded FRP plates and bars), and their thermal ageing behaviour is a concern when they are subjected to elevated temperatures (e.g. FRP chimney). In the present article, the effects of thermal ageing at 200°C and 250°C in air for up to 1000 h on mechanical properties and mechanism of the benzoxazine (Boz), bisphenol A dicyanate cyanate ester (BADCy), and 4,4′-bismaleimidodiphenyl methane (BMI) have been investigated. The effect of time in thermal ageing on structural and mechanical properties of the Boz/BMI/BADCy resin was deeply studied. The moisture absorption increases linearly with the square root of ageing time and it follows Fick’s second law. There are two main categories of reactions in thermal ageing: the first one is the post-curing process, which leads to a larger crosslinking density and a reduced interior stress; while the other is the formation of microcracks and thermal oxidation at the surface of the Boz/BMI/BADCy resin. The combination of the above factors leads to an increase–decrease variation in the mechanical properties. This work is believed to benefit the wide and safe application of a certain Boz/BMI/BADCy resin system in engineering application.


2021 ◽  
Vol 1016 ◽  
pp. 1404-1410
Author(s):  
Pavel Strunz ◽  
Radim Kocich ◽  
Přemysl Beran ◽  
Lenka Kunčická ◽  
Debashis Mukherji ◽  
...  

Characterization of advanced materials by neutron powder diffraction provides information not accessible by other techniques. Thanks to the low absorption of neutrons, the bulk of the material and large-grain samples can be investigated, moreover in situ at elevated temperatures. The neutron diffraction use is demonstrated on two types of technologically important materials: Ti-Zr alloy and Co-Re high temperature alloy. In Ti-Zr alloy, the residual stress relief and microstrain evolution after ECAP was established. Boron influence on TaC strengthening precipitates in Co-Re high temperature alloys was shown not to be significant at the foreseen alloy operation temperatures, although boron content has a strong influence on the matrix phase.


Author(s):  
Charles W. Allen ◽  
Robert C. Birtcher

The uranium silicides, including U3Si, are under study as candidate low enrichment nuclear fuels. Ion beam simulations of the in-reactor behavior of such materials are performed because a similar damage structure can be produced in hours by energetic heavy ions which requires years in actual reactor tests. This contribution treats one aspect of the microstructural behavior of U3Si under high energy electron irradiation and low dose energetic heavy ion irradiation and is based on in situ experiments, performed at the HVEM-Tandem User Facility at Argonne National Laboratory. This Facility interfaces a 2 MV Tandem ion accelerator and a 0.6 MV ion implanter to a 1.2 MeV AEI high voltage electron microscope, which allows a wide variety of in situ ion beam experiments to be performed with simultaneous irradiation and electron microscopy or diffraction.At elevated temperatures, U3Si exhibits the ordered AuCu3 structure. On cooling below 1058 K, the intermetallic transforms, evidently martensitically, to a body-centered tetragonal structure (alternatively, the structure may be described as face-centered tetragonal, which would be fcc except for a 1 pet tetragonal distortion). Mechanical twinning accompanies the transformation; however, diferences between electron diffraction patterns from twinned and non-twinned martensite plates could not be distinguished.


Author(s):  
Wilfried Sigle ◽  
Matthias Hohenstein ◽  
Alfred Seeger

Prolonged electron irradiation of metals at elevated temperatures usually leads to the formation of large interstitial-type dislocation loops. The growth rate of the loops is proportional to the total cross-section for atom displacement,which is implicitly connected with the threshold energy for atom displacement, Ed . Thus, by measuring the growth rate as a function of the electron energy and the orientation of the specimen with respect to the electron beam, the anisotropy of Ed can be determined rather precisely. We have performed such experiments in situ in high-voltage electron microscopes on Ag and Au at 473K as a function of the orientation and on Au as a function of temperature at several fixed orientations.Whereas in Ag minima of Ed are found close to <100>,<110>, and <210> (13-18eV), (Fig.1) atom displacement in Au requires least energy along <100>(15-19eV) (Fig.2). Au is thus the first fcc metal in which the absolute minimum of the threshold energy has been established not to lie in or close to the <110> direction.


2021 ◽  
pp. 096739112199290
Author(s):  
N Rasana ◽  
K Jayanarayanan ◽  
Krishna Prasad Rajan ◽  
Aravinthan Gopanna

Multiscale hybrid composites were prepared using varying weight percentages (0 to 5) of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) as nanofiller and a fixed weight percentage (20) of short glass fibres as micro filler (in polypropylene (PP) matrix. The shear and extensional viscosity of the composites was measured using a capillary rheometer. It was observed that even at higher shear rates the synergism of micro and nanofillers in the matrix significantly enhanced the melt viscosity. The complex nanotube network entanglement with micro fillers and PP chains imparted restrictions to the polymer chain movements. The prepared samples were subjected to thermal ageing at 100°C for 4 days in hot air oven. After ageing, multiscale composite with 3 wt% MWCNTs exhibited 28.57% enhancement in strain at break, whereas the tensile strength and modulus reduced by 6.8% and 8% respectively. The fracture toughness properties like strain energy release rate and critical stress intensity factor were not affected for multiscale composite at the optimum content of 3 wt% MWCNT, even after thermal ageing.


2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 478-488 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yun-Fei Zhang ◽  
Fei-Peng Du ◽  
Ling Chen ◽  
Ka-Wai Yeung ◽  
Yuqing Dong ◽  
...  

AbstractElectroactive hydrogels have received increasing attention due to the possibility of being used in biomimetics, such as for soft robotics and artificial muscles. However, the applications are hindered by the poor mechanical properties and slow response time. To address these issues, in this study, supramolecular ionic polymer–carbon nanotube (SIPC) composite hydrogels were fabricated via in situ free radical polymerization. The polymer matrix consisted of carbon nanotubes (CNTs), styrene sulfonic sodium (SSNa), β-cyclodextrin (β-CD)-grafted acrylamide, and ferrocene (Fc)-grafted acrylamide, with the incorporation of SSNa serving as the ionic source. On applying an external voltage, the ions accumulate on one side of the matrix, leading to localized swelling and bending of the structure. Therefore, a controllable and reversible actuation can be achieved by changing the applied voltage. The tensile strength of the SIPC was improved by over 300%, from 12 to 49 kPa, due to the reinforcement effect of the CNTs and the supramolecular host–guest interactions between the β-CD and Fc moieties. The inclusion of CNTs not only improved the tensile properties but also enhanced the ion mobility, which lead to a faster electromechanical response. The presented electro-responsive composite hydrogel shows a high potential for the development of robotic devices and soft smart components for sensing and actuating applications.


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