Mechanical behaviour of carbon fibre reinforced polymer composite material at different temperatures: Experimental and model assessment

In the present study, temperature and frequency effects are studied involving carbon fibre reinforced polymeric materials with unidirectional fibers. Before testing, laminates were preserved in a deep freezer at −80, −20, 0, and 25°C for 60 days. Compressive, tensile, and stiffness behaviors of the laminates were assessed. The results confirmed that the compressive strength, tensile strength, and tensile modulus of laminates severely deteriorate at high temperatures. This might happen because of the weakening of the fibre/matrix interface, resulting in the load-carrying capacity of the carbon fibre being severely reduced. Lower temperatures did not significantly affect the mechanical performance of the laminates. This is due to minor deformation of the frozen laminates and closely compacted epoxy chain segments. The effects of temperature and vibration on the storage modulus, loss modulus, and damping behaviour of laminates are discussed. The results confirm that a reduction in mechanical performance is a strongly temperature-dependent phenomenon. Laminate damping properties are also evaluated. According to the results of the experiments, −80°C has the greatest permanence. Finally, the accuracy of the results on storage modulus was compared with empirical models. The model suggested by Gibson et al. provided the most accurate estimates for the storage modulus of the laminates. Other models were less accurate and gave non-conservative estimates.