Environmental Durability of Graphite/Epoxy Composites : The Combined Effects of Moisture, Cathodic Polarization, and Stress

The increasing acceptance & incorp. of fiber-reinforced polymer matrix composites (PMCs) as engineering construction materials have led many to look to the infrastructure as an application for these versatile materials. One such system is pultruded graphite fiber-reinforced epoxy (PGFRE). Some PMC systems degrade when subjected to environ'l. conditions (e.g., moisture, stress, UV light, electrochem. polarization). These variables are typically studied singularly, but in real appl's. (e.g., aerospace, marine, etc.), these materials are subjected to many of these conditions simultaneously. To simulate field conditions, this study invest'd. the combined effects of an aqueous environ., electrochemical polar'n., & applied bending stress on the durability of a PGFRE.Pauly, Christopher C. is the author of 'Environmental Durability of Graphite/Epoxy Composites : The Combined Effects of Moisture, Cathodic Polarization, and Stress', published 2003 under ISBN 9780756734565 and ISBN 0756734568.