Thermal and Moisture effect in composite materials

Effect of temperature

Creep: Plastic deformation at high temperature

Effect of temperature on fatigue

In high temperature fatigue, there is a transition from fatigue failure to creep failure as the temperature increases (creep dominates at high temperatures). Coarse grained metal has higher fatigue strength where creep dominates. Fine grained metal has higher fatigue strength at low temperatures.

Thermal fatigue

Thermal fatigue occurs when metal is subjected to high and low temperature, producing fluctuating cyclic thermal stress. Normally occurs in high temperature equipment. Low thermal conductivity and high thermal expansion properties are critical. The thermal stress developed by a temperature change T is

=ET
Where is linear thermal coefficient of expansion E is elastic modulus T is change in temperature If failure occurs by one application of thermal stress, the condition is called thermal shock Low thermal expansion - for many FRPs, leading to good dimensional stability

Thermal fatigue

Heat Capacity
Both heat capacity and specific heat indicate the ability of a material to absorb heat from its surroundings.

Heat capacity is defined as the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of a material by one Kelvin or Celcius.
Heat capacity at constant volume cv and heat capacity at constant pressure cp. The magnitude of the cp is greater than cv. The difference is very small for solids at room temperature or below. We use in this lecture cp because for most of the processes, the pressure is fixed (atmospheric pressure)
C Q q , or c T mT

Energy absorption mechanism that contribute to the magnitude of the heat capacity: Atomic vibrations, and Energy absorption by free electrons in metals.
7 7

Effect of high temperature on Metals and Alloys

Lower strength Greater atomic and dislocation mobility, assisting dislocation climb and diffusion. Higher equilibrium concentration of vacancies New deformation mechanisms, such as new slip systems or grain boundary sliding. Recrystallization and grain growth. Age hardened alloys will overage by particle coarsening and lose strength. Oxidation and intergranular penetration

Effect of temperature & Stress on Creep curves

The higher the temperature, the greater the creep rate. The higher the stress, the greater the creep rate.
10

High temperature Mechanical tests

Different tests to evaluate high temperature properties based on the time scale of the service requirements, i. High temperature tensile test:- Completed in few minutes to produce stress versus strain curves at specific temperatures. Useful for short term applications such as Rocket parts. ii. Creep test:- Measures dimensional changes accurately at constant high temperature and constant load or stress. Useful for long term applications which are strain limited, such as Turbine blades. iii. Stress rupture test:- Measures time to failure at specified stress and temperature. Useful for applications where some strain can be tolerated but failure must be avoided, such as large furnace housings.

11

High temperature Mechanical tests

12

Thermal Expansion
The energy addition to a material in the form of heat increases the thermal vibration of the atoms in their lattice sites.

The thermal expansion is a direct result of a greater separation distance between the centers of adjacent atoms as the thermal vibration of individual atoms increases with increasing temperature.

dL [mm / mm.o C ] linear coefficien t of thermalexpansion LdT

for ceramics and glasses < for metals due to the shape of the energy well. The ceramics and glasses generally have deeper wells (higher bonding energies) due to their ionic and covalent bond natures; therefore less atomic separation with the increasing temperature. The elastic modulus is directly related to the derivative of the bonding energy curve near the bottom of the well. The deeper the well, the larger derivative and greater the elastic modulus. 13

Thermal Expansion

14

15

16

Thermal conductivity
The conduction of heat: two main mechanisms atomic vibration

the conduction of free electrons.

For poor electrical conductors such as ceramics and polymers, thermal energy is mainly transported by the vibrations of electrons.

For metals, the kinetic energy of the conducting or free electrons transport contributes to the transfer of heat more than atomic vibrations
17

Thermal conductivity
Electrons can be viewed as a particle as well as a wave. For a wave, any structural disorder can behave as an obstacle for the movement of the waveform. The increasing vibration of the crystal lattice at increasing temperature results in a decrease in thermal conductivity. Similarly, the structural disorder due to chemical impurities results in a decrease in thermal and electrical conductivities. As result metal alloys tend to have lower thermal conductivities than pure metals. For ceramics and polymers, lattice vibrations, also wave-like in nature, are similarly impeded by structural disorder. Thermal conductivities for amorphous polymers are lower than crystalline polymers The thermal conductivities of ceramics and polymer are further reduced due to the presence of porosities.
18

19

Thermograph
Higher surface temperature just over the defect

Infrared thermography with pulse heating mode

20

Thermal shock
Thermal shock: Fracture of materials due to a temperature change, usually sudden cooling.

21

With the inevitable presence of flaws at the surface, the created tensile stress at the surface will cause a brittle fracture of the material

22

Moisture effect
1) The amount of absorbed moisture is dependent upon the matrix material and the relative humidity. 2) Elevated temperature speeds the rate of moisture absorption. Absorbed moisture reduces the matrix-dominated mechanical properties. 3) Absorbed moisture also causes the matrix to swell. This swelling relieves locked-in thermal strains from elevated-temperature curing. 4) These strains can be large, and large panels fixed at their edges can buckle due to the swelling strains. 5) During freeze-thaw cycles, the absorbed moisture expands during freezing and can crack the matrix. 6) During thermal spikes, absorbed moisture can turn to steam. When the internal steam pressure exceeds the flat wise tensile strength of the composite, the laminate delaminates.

23

Moisture effect

24

Absorption of Moisture for Polymer Composites

25

Effects of Temperature and Moisture on Strength of Carbon~Epoxy

26

Effects of Temperature and Moisture on Strength of Carbon~Epoxy

27

Effects of Temperature and Moisture on polymers

Epoxy matrices and adhesives, in fact almost all thermoset resins, absorb moisture from the atmosphere, which degrades their elevated temperature matrixdependent properties

28

THANK YOU