Accelerated Testing Method for Predicting Long-Term Properties of Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Shape Memory Polymer Composites in a Low Earth Orbit Environment.

ABSTRACT: Carbon fiber-reinforced shape memory polymer composites (CF-SMPCs) have been researched as a potential next-generation material for aerospace application, due to their lightweight and self-deployable properties. To this end, the mechanical properties of CF-SMPCs, including long-term durability, must be characterized in aerospace environments. In this study, the storage modulus of CF-SMPCs was investigated in a simulation of a low Earth orbit (LEO) environment involving three harsh conditions: high vacuum, and atomic oxygen (AO) and ultraviolet (UV) light exposure. CF-SMPCs in a LEO environment degrade over time due to temperature extremes and matrix erosion by AO. The opposite behavior was observed in our experiments, due to crosslinking induced by AO and UV light exposure in the LEO envir

SUBMITTER: Jang JH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8156318 | biostudies-literature | 2021 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature