Durability Testing of Composite Aerospace Materials Based on a New Polymer Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Epoxy Resin

In this study, the durability of a new polymer carbon fiber-reinforced epoxy resin used to produce composite material in the aerospace field is investigated through analysis of the corrosion phenomena occurring at the microscopic scale, and the related infrared spectra and thermal properties. It is found that light and heat can contribute to the aging process. In particular, the longitudinal tensile strength displays a non-monotonic trend, i.e., it first increases and then decreases over time. By contrast, the longitudinal compressive and inter-laminar shear strengths do not show significant changes. It is also shown that the inter-laminar shear strength of carbon fiber/epoxy resin composites with inter-laminar hybrid structure is better than that of pure carbon fiber materials. The related resistance to corrosion can be improved by more than 41%.