Abstract
For carbon fiber epoxy resin used in aerostructure, thermal degradation mechanism and kinetics play an important role in the evaluation of thermal response and combustion characteristics. However, the thermal decomposition process and mechanism are difficult to unify strictly due to the complexity of the components from different suppliers. In the present study, a product of carbon fiber epoxy resin made by AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) composite corporation is examined to identify its thermal degradation mechanism and pyrolysis products by measurements, including simultaneous thermal analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and mass spectrometry, establish the kinetic model by Kissinger/Friedman/Ozawa/Coats-Redfern methods. The results show thermal degradation occurs in three steps under the inert atmosphere, but in four steps under air atmosphere, respectively. The first two steps in both environments are almost the same, including drying, carbon dioxide escape and decomposition of the epoxy resin. In the third step of inert atmosphere, phenol is formed, methane decreases, carbon monoxide basically disappears and carbon dioxide production increases. However, in air, thermal oxidation of the carbonaceous residues and intermolecular carbonization are observed. Furthermore, thermal degradation reaction mechanism submits to the F4 model. These results provide fundamental and comprehensive support for the application of carbon fiber epoxy resin in aircraft industry.
Highlights
Attributed to high resistance to corrosion, high specific strength and stiffness of FRP (Fiber Reinforced Polymer) material, its utilization in infrastructures and manufacturing is more and more popular
Carbon fiber epoxy resin has been widely used in the design and manufacture of aircraft load-bearing and functional structures
Tranchard [11] developed a material thermal response model based on SEMCEF for fire environments and validated it with the T700/M21 composite material used in Airbus 350
Summary
Attributed to high resistance to corrosion, high specific strength and stiffness of FRP (Fiber Reinforced Polymer) material, its utilization in infrastructures and manufacturing is more and more popular. Thermal behavior of FRP is completely different from that of aluminum, because it can soften, decompose and burn to release fumes, especially in fire, leading to threaten the safety of occupants As a result, both the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) require us to consider fire protection, flame retardancy, combustion product toxicity, and other thermal issues of composite aircraft structures in airworthiness certification [3]. Zhang et al [36] investigated the effect of basalt fiber content in HDPE matrix composites on the thermal decomposition process using dynamic thermogravimetric analysis and utilized improved Coats–Redfern (C-R), Flynn–Wall–Ozawa (F-W-O), Friedman and Kissinger methods to ascertain the specific apparent activation energy (Ea) of each component and composite material. Polymers 2021, 13, 569 and thorough insight into thermal behavior of CFRP used in aerostructures is presented, and detailed data can support thermal response modeling, combustion modeling and toxicity assessment of material in fire
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