Meso-Scale Modeling to Characterize Moisture Absorption of 3D Woven Composite

• Published in: Applied composite materials Vol. 23; no. 4; pp. 719 - 738
• Main Authors: Yuan, Yuan, Zhou, Chu-wei
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01.08.2016; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Absorption; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemistry and Materials Science; Classical Mechanics; Diffusion; Industrial Chemistry/Chemical Engineering; Materials Science; Mathematical models; Mesoscale phenomena; Moisture; Polymer Sciences; Three dimensional composites; Three dimensional models; Woven composites; Moisture absorption; Meso-scale FE model; 3D woven composite; Interphase; Two-stage phenomenon
• ISSN: 0929-189X; 1573-4897
• DOI: 10.1007/s10443-016-9482-7

For polymer-matrix composites, moisture is expected to degrade their mechanical properties due to matrix plasticization and moisture introduced micro-scale defects. In this study, the moisture absorptions of bulk epoxy, unidirectional composite (UD) and 3D woven composite (3D WC) were tested. Two-stage features have been observed for all these three materials. Moisture properties for UD and 3D WC were found not in simple direct proportion to their matrix volume fractions. The moisture approach of UD was modeled including the effect of fiber/matrix interphase which promotes the moisture uptake. Then, meso-scale FE model for 3D WC was established to characterize the inhomogeneous moisture diffusion. The moisture properties of resin-rich region and fiber bundle in 3D WC were determined from water uptake experiments of bulk epoxy and UD, respectively. Through homogenizing moisture properties of surface and interior weave structures, a simplified theoretical sandwich moisture diffusion approach was established. The moisture weight gains of 3D WC predicted by both meso-scale FE model and simplified sandwich approach were well agreed with the experimental data.