Effect of temperature on damage mechanisms and mechanical behaviour of an acrylic-thermoplastic-matrix and glass-fibre-reinforced composite

The mechanical response of polymer matrix composites exhibits a temperature dependency even if the service temperature range is lower than the glass transition temperature of the polymer matrix. This dependency is mainly due to the temperature effect on the mechanical behaviour of the polymer matrix. However, the micro- and meso-structures driving the composite anisotropy and local stress distribution play an essential role regarding the effect of temperature on damage mechanisms specific to reinforced polymers. There are few data in the literature on the sensitivity to temperature of damage mechanisms and scenarios of polymer matrix composites regardless of loading type. In this paper, after a synthetic literature review of the effect of temperature on polymers and polymer composites, several complementary tests are proposed to analyse the temperature effect on damage mechanisms undergone by laminated composites under in-plane quasi static loadings. These tests are applied to an acrylic-thermoplastic composite reinforced by glass fibres in its service temperature range of -20celcius to 60celcius. The results show that the testing temperature has a significant impact on the mechanical response and damage mechanisms of the composite material in the selected temperature range, which is markedly lower than the glass transition temperature (around 100celcius). While the temperature rise generates a gradual decrease in matrix stiffness and strength, the increase in matrix ductility associated to the stress heterogeneity in the composite microstructure produces a rise in the transverse cracking threshold and removes this damage mode during quasi-static tensile tests when the temperature shifts from 15celcius to 40celcius.