Journal of the Japan Society for Composite Materials

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Considering the space environment, it is important to study the effects of thermal cycling on the mechanical properties of composite materials. It is known that composite laminates subjected to thermal cycling suffer from matrix cracking. In the present study, thermal cycling induced matrix cracking in CFRP laminates is investigated experimentally. Two kinds of carbon/epoxy systems, T800H/3631 and T300/2500, are used. Laminate configurations are (0/90)_s and (90/0)_s for both material systems. The specimens are thermally cycled between -196°C and 100°C. Thermal cycling tests are performed up to 1, 000 cycles. The polished edge surfaces of specimens are examined by the replica technique to measure the matrix crack density as a function of the number of thermal cycles. It is found that the numbers of thermal cycles at first matrix cracking in (0/90)_s and (90/0)_s are similar. It is also found that the matrix crack density increases more rapidly in (0/90)_s laminates than in (90/0)_s laminates. To investigate the change in matrix cracking properties due to thermal cycling, tensile tests on thermally-cycled specimens are performed. The effect of thermal cycling on matrix cracking under tension is evaluated by the change in the critical energy release rate and the critical stress for matrix cracking.

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This paper describes the results of the investigation and evaluation of interlaminar shear of carbon fiber fabric/carbon matrix composite material (C/C materials). The data were collected by following two test methods, namely a three-point flexural shear test method using a short-beam specimen, and a compression shear test method using a double-notched specimen. The compression shear tests for C/C material were carried out under various conditions of fixing test jigs.

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