Abstract
Fiber-reinforced composite materials are often used in structural applications in humid, marine, and offshore environments. Superior mechanical properties are compromised by environmental ageing and hydrolytic degradation. Glass fibers are the most broadly used type of fiber reinforcement to date. However, they are also most severely affected by environmental degradation. The glass fiber degradation rates depend on: (1) glass formulation; (2) environmental factors: pH, T, stress; (3) sizing; (4) matrix polymer; (5) fiber orientation and composite layup. In this short review (communication), seven modules within the Modular Paradigm are reviewed and systematized. These modeling tools, encompassing both trivial and advanced formulas, enable the prediction of the environmental ageing of glass fibers, including the kinetics of mass loss, fiber radius reduction, environmental crack growth and loss of strength. The modeling toolbox is of use for both industry and academia, and the Modular Paradigm could become a valuable tool for such scenarios as lifetime prediction and the accelerated testing of fiber-reinforced composite materials.
Highlights
Background and MotivationFiber-reinforced polymer composites (FRPs) have gained a lot of use and popularity for the last 50–60 years or so, due to their excellent mechanical properties, such as high modulus and strength, while at the same time being relatively lightweight and relatively corrosion-resistant compared to more traditional structural materials, i.e., aluminium and steel [1,2]
The modeling toolbox is of use for both industry and academia, and the Modular Paradigm could become a valuable tool for such scenarios as lifetime prediction and the accelerated testing of fiber-reinforced composite materials
= K0 ξ sizing SCHorder where m is the total cumulative mass dissolved after time t; K0 is the zero-order reaction kinetic constant; ξ sizing is the protective effect of the sizing; S is the glass surface area exposed to water; CH2 O is the availability of water molecules to the eq reacting glass surface; norder is the order of the reaction; CSiO2 is the concentration of degradation products at saturation inside the composite; CSiO2 is the current concentration of degradation products inside the composite; and morder is the order of the driving force term
Summary
Fiber-reinforced polymer composites (FRPs) have gained a lot of use and popularity for the last 50–60 years or so, due to their excellent mechanical properties, such as high modulus and strength, while at the same time being relatively lightweight and relatively corrosion-resistant compared to more traditional structural materials, i.e., aluminium and steel [1,2]. It was clearly stated that “the modular approach presented is in no way a complete overview of the whole degradation framework, yet it is a step towards the multiscale modeling paradigm of the composite ageing” [27]. This communication aims to review the Modular Paradigm for composites while attempting to further improve the methodology by systematizing the Modular Groups. The Reinforcement Modular Group was divided into two distinct modules, including (1) Glass Fiber Dissolution, and (2) Strength Loss This Modular Group is further expanded in this manuscript, shown later in the Modeling section.
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