To investigate the time and temperature dependence of the interlaminar shear strength of CFRP (carbon fiber unidirectionally-reinforced plastics), interlaminar shear tests by a short beam method for CFRP and tensile tests for epoxy resin which was used as the matrix of CFRP were conducted at various constant temperatures and various constant strain rates.
The results obtained are summarizd as follows:
(1) Both the tensile strength of the matrix and the interlaminar shear strength of the CFRP showed remarkable dependence upon time and temperature.
(2) The master curves of these strengths for both the matrix and CFRP could be constructed, using their thermo-rheologically simple properties. As for the time and temperature shift factor aT0 (T), they were not only identical, but also these aT0 (T) were similar to aT0 (T) of creep compliances of the CFRP and the matrix in the previous paper.
(3) The appearance on fracture of the CFRP in the low temperature and high strain rate region was different from that in the high temperature and low strain rate region. In the former region, the interlaminar shear was observed after the buckling of fibers, but in the latter region, only the buckling of fibers was observed.
