Modeling Thermo-Oxidation in High TemperaturePolymer Matrix Composites

摘要

The growth of oxidation layers in high temperature polymeric matrix compositesis anisotropic (predominant along the axis of the fibers) and inhomogeneous. In thisanalysis, we study the oxidative layer growth due to long-term aging at hightemperatures at the lamina scale. Analyses are carried out using three-dimensionalfinite element analysis of repeated volume elements representing the fiber, matrix andinterphase regions and the resin oxidation model developed earlier. Although thefinite element model is capable of analyzing multiple phases under thermo-oxidation,only resin oxidation is considered and fiber is assumed inert. The paper presentsparametric studies illustrating the anisotropy in the oxidative region growth and theeffect of fiber diffusivity on the oxidation layer growth rates.