Elevated temperature bending stress rupture behavior AS4/APC-2 and comparison with AS4/PPS literature data

End-loaded bending stress rupture experiments were performed at elevated temperatures (70-150degreesC) on unidirectional AS4/APC-2. A new fixture was developed enabling progressive and accurate loading. The composite showed times-to-rupture depending on applied strain level and temperature. Failure occurred mainly in the middle of the sample (high strain level) and, unlike AS4/PPS, did not show extensive microbuckling before failure. Surprisingly and despite large scatter in the results at 120 degreesC, it was found that the time-to-failure versus normalized strain levels for AS4/APC-2 tend to superimpose the literature data for AS4/PPS at given temperatures. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.