Accelerated Heat Aging Study of Phenolic/Basalt Fiber Reinforced Composites

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One of the greatest impediments to use polymer-matrix composites is their susceptibility to degradation when exposed to the elevated temperatures and the limited knowledge on the thermal and mechanical properties of these composites at such temperatures. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effects of accelerated heat aging on the tensile properties of the Woven Basalt/Phenolic (WBP) composites. Mechanical tests are performed on the specimens, which have previously been subjected to the accelerated heat aging conditions. The specimens were exposed to the constant temperatures in the range of 150 °C, 200 °C and 250 °C for various periods of times, and then, the residual tensile properties were measured at room temperature. The specimens were isothermally heated for 1, 2, 5, and 10 hours at the said temperatures and then left to cool naturally to the ambient temperature of about 25 °C. Both the tensile modulus and the ultimate tensile strength of WBP composites decreased with elevated temperatures and these degradations were time and temperature dependent.