The effects of UV radiation on several high-performance polyimide composites

• Published in: Polymer international Vol. 48; no. 10; pp. 1042 - 1045
• Main Authors: Kiefer, Richard L, Herring, Kristin, Wylie, Benjamin J, Orwoll, Robert A, Thibeault, Sheila A
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Chichester, UK John Wiley & Sons, Ltd 01-10-1999; Wiley
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Composites; Exact sciences and technology; Forms of application and semi-finished materials; polyimide; Polymer industry, paints, wood; Technology of polymers; thermal analysis; ultraviolet radiation; XPS; Polyimide; Thermoplastics; Thermal ageing; Fiber reinforced material; Aromatic polymer; Surface analysis; Experimental study; Composite material; Thermal stability; Thermosetting resin; Dynamic mechanical properties; Aromatic copolymer; Artificial ageing; Thermostable; Imide copolymer; Photochemical degradation; Carbon fiber
• ISSN: 0959-8103; 1097-0126
• DOI: 10.1002/(SICI)1097-0126(199910)48:10<1042::AID-PI266>3.0.CO;2-2

Three high‐performance polyimides were exposed at 177 °C to ultraviolet radiation at three different intensities and for three different times so that the product of intensity and time was a constant. Intensities of 1, 2 and 3 suns, and times of 500, 250 and 167 h were used. One sun is the power in space at one earth–sun distance and is 0.135 J s−1 cm−2. The polyimides were LARC™‐8515, PETI‐5 and K3B. Samples were analysed by XPS, TGA, TMA and DMA. Thermal analyses by TGA, TMA and DMA, which measure bulk properties, showed essentially no difference between samples exposed to heat and UV radiation, and control samples. Surface analysis by XPS showed an apparent decrease in carbonyl on the surface of some exposed samples. This could be correlated for the PETI‐5 and LARC™‐8515 samples to surface contamination by a silicone‐containing material.
© 1999 Society of Chemical Industry