Effect of thermal-cold cycling on properties of glass fiber/ epoxy resin composite for wind turbin blade

Abstract

The weight loss rate, FTIR characteristic, static mechanical properties and dynamic mecha nical properties of neat epoxy resin and glass fiber/ epoxy resin laminates (GF/EP) after thermal-col d cycling were studied in this paper. The rule of static tensile and flexural strength of neat epoxy resi n and GF/EP after ageing was investigated through the static mechanical properties analysis. The age ing mechanism of GF/EP was studied by analyzing the storage modulus (E'), loss modulus (E"), loss factor of GF/EP and FITR of epoxy resin. The results show that the weight loss rate increases with t he ageing time, which is up to 9% after 400 times ageing cycle. The strength and flexural strength of GF/EP decreased by 6% and 21% after ageing, while the tensile strength of neat epoxy resin incre ases by 8% and its flexural strength increases slightly after ageing. The mechanism analysis reveals t hat internal defects of GF/EP would be induced by thermal-cold cycling stress, which results in the i nterface bonding strength dropping and the performance reducing. © (2012) Trans Tech Publications, Switzerland.