Prediction of Thermo-Oxidative Degradation in Polymer Matrix Composites Using Micromechanical Modeling and Homogenization at the Macro-Scale

Mechanism-based modeling of damage evolution in high temperature polymer matrix composites (HTPMC) under thermo-oxidative aging conditions is presented in this article. Specifically, a multi-scale model based on micro-mechanics analysis in conjunction with continuum damage mechanics is developed to simulate the accelerated fiber-matrix debond growth in the longitudinal direction of a unidirectional HTPMC. The benchmark of model prediction with experimental observations of oxidative debond growth is presented. In addition to themicromechanics-based damage evolution model, effective diffusivity of a composite lamina at the macroscale is also developed based on diffusivities of the fiber and polymer matrix phases using a homogenization technique.