.

North Carolina A&T State University

 

Marine Environment Effect on the Interfacial Fracture Toughness of PVC Core Sandwich Composite.

Objective:

  • Correlate the environment effects and durability of PVC core sandwich composites and characterize the interfacial fracture toughness.

Approach and Results:

  • Fabricate PVC core sandwich composite panels
  • Temperature (80 C) and moisture (submersed and 80 C +90%+RH) condition specimens.
  • conduct double cantilever beam interfacila fracture toughness tests.
  • Measure interfacial fracture toughness (Gc) at room and elevated temperature (80 C).

Results:

  • High temperature exposure contributes greatest to the PVC core degradation.
  • Sea-Water exposure mostly degrades the facesheet/core interface.
  • High temperature exposure, along with including cracks between the facesheet and core degraded by high temperature exposure, is most detrimental to interfacial toughness