Analysis and testing of dynamic micromechanical behavior of composite materials at elevated temperatures

This paper describes the use of a recently developed high temperature impulse frequency response apparatus to directly measure dynamic modulus and internal damping of high temperature composite materials, matrix materials, and reinforcing fibers as a function of temperature. An extensional vibration test was used for determination of the complex Young's modulus of fiber specimens as a function of temperature. A flexural vibration rest was used for determination of the complex flexural modulus of matrix and unidirectional composite specimens (0 and 90 deg fiber orientations) as a function of temperature. These results were obtained from tests done on two different fiber reinforced composite materials: boron/epoxy, (B/E) and Silicon Carbide/Ti-6Al-4V (SiC/Ti). The results from these tests were then used to assess the validity of micromechanics predictions of composite properties at elevated temperatures. Micromechanics predictions of composite moduli and damping at elevated temperatures shaw good agreement with measured values for the 0 deg case (longitudinal) but only fair agreement for the 90 deg case (transverse). In both cases, the predictions indicate the correct trends in the properties.