Abstract
The preparation of ultra-thin CFRP laminates, which incorporate a cycloaliphatic epoxy resin reinforced with polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) reagent nanofiller, using out-of-autoclave procedure is reported. The influence of the amount of POSS within the laminate on the mechanical properties and surface roughness of the laminates is analysed before and after exposure to atomic oxygen (AO) to simulate the effects of low Earth orbit (LEO). The addition of 5 wt% POSS to the base epoxy leads to an increase in both flexural strength and modulus, but these values begin to fall as the POSS content rises, possibly due to issues with agglomeration. The addition of POSS offers improved resistance against AO degradation with the laminates containing 20 wt% POSS demonstrating the lowest erosion yield (1.67 × 10−24 cm2/atom) after the equivalent of a period of 12 months in a simulated LEO environment. Exposure to AO promotes the formation of a silicon-rich coating layer on the surface of the laminate, which in turn reduces roughness and increases stiffness, as evidenced by measurements of flexural properties and spectral data after exposure.
Highlights
The adoption of carbon fibre reinforced plastics (CFRP) is increasingly widespread in different engineering sectors such as aerospace, wind turbines, construction, and automotive, due to the high strength-to-mass ratio that they offer [1]
CFRP materials offer very promising behaviour compared to metals, as they can achieve higher specific stiffness coupled with high thermal stability [2]
The resultant thin resin film would be left to dry before it could be retrieved as a self-sustaining film, which could be peeled from the solid surface and transferred directly to the laminate layup
Summary
The adoption of carbon fibre reinforced plastics (CFRP) is increasingly widespread in different engineering sectors such as aerospace, wind turbines, construction, and automotive, due to the high strength-to-mass ratio that they offer [1]. The ongoing drive for the exploration and economic exploitation of space has led to a growing interest for the development of novel lightweight materials which are affordable to launch and may withstand the extreme conditions present in the space environment Owing to their remarkable specific mechanical properties and their flexibility to handle multi-functional requirements, CFRP materials have become increasingly popular over the past years for use in spacecraft structures [3]. Space Telescope design, cryogenic tanks, advanced communications systems, Space Tug, Space Station, and lightweight satellites [4] Owing to their multi-functionality, deployable structures have become more effective in the application of booms, antennas, parabolic reflectors, mirrors, solar sails, masts, and deployable solar arrays [5]. Examples of these applications are included as Supplementary Information (SI), Figure
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