Influence of Marine and Harsh Environments on Performance of Carbon Fiber Paper Reinforced Polyamide 6

Carbon fiber paper reinforced thermoplastics (CPT) have broad application prospects because of its simple production process and good mechanical properties. Currently, polyamide 6 (PA6) is a promising matrix for CPT and is widely used for mass-production. However, the performance of CPT materials in marine and harsh environments must be evaluated because of its environmental sensitivity. In this study, the seawater absorption of CPT was analyzed using Fick's diffusion law. The flexural properties of CPT in harsh and marine environments were studied by three-point bending. Based on the results, it was concluded that seawater and high temperatures have negative effects on the flexural properties of CPT. Microscopy results showed the mechanisms of failure under the action of seawater and high temperatures. Droplet test was employed to analyze the interfacial shear properties between the fiber and resin. The results showed that after seawater immersion, the interfacial shear strength had a discernable decrease.