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· Fabrication temperatures are
important in establishing the room temperature state of composite materials.
· Polymer matrix composites are frequently
cured at temperatures between 100 C and 200 C. At the curing
temperature
the composite is nominally stress
free.
· Reducing
the material to room temperature establishes a differential strain
between
the fibers and the matrix due to their different thermal expansion coefficients.
· Typically, the matrix
expansion
coefficient is larger than that of the fibers. The temperature
reduction after curing, therefore, places the fibers in compression and
the matrix in tension and establishes an interfacial shear stress between them.
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