Abstract
The effects of water absorption have been investigated on the diffusion behavior, moisture-induced expansion, and fracture properties of thermoset and thermoplastic resin-matrix composites. The composite materials were submerged in distilled water at temperatures from 45°C to 90°C for more than 8,000 h. Moisture saturation levels were considerably higher in the thermoset composites than in the thermoplastic composite. Moisture sorption in the graphite/epoxy composite exhibited both classical Fickian and non-Fickian diffusion behavior. Deviant, non-Fickian behavior was related to chemical modification and physical damage in the composite. Moisture sorption in thermoplastic resin composites follows Fickian diffusion rather closely. Anomalous moisture expansion behavior in graphite-epoxy composites was attributed to environmental-induced damage of the laminate. Sorbed moisture reduced the delamination fracture toughness (DFT) of a thermoset composite, whereas moisture sorption had virtually no effect on the DFT of a thermoplastic composite.
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