Thermal expansion measurement of carbon composites at cryogenic temperature

Abstract

Recently carbon composites are being applied to space structures used under cryogenic temperature such as infrared space telescopes or propulsion tanks. To use carbon composite at cryogenic temperature, methods to evaluate material properties at cryogenic temperature are needed. In order to measure the thermal expansion of carbon composite in cryogenic temperature, a method using optical heterodyne interference was developed. Using this method, thermal expansion of two types of carbon composites were measured at cryogenic temperature lower than 10K.