Evolution in properties of carbon fiber reinforced vitrimer composites after thermo-oxidative aging

With the development and application of carbon fiber reinforced vitrimer (CFRV) composites, the thermooxidative aging problem of CFRV composites in service is increasingly worth studying. This work developed a superior kind of vitrimer resin and designed different thermo-oxidative aging temperatures (80 degrees C, 140 degrees C, and 200 degrees C) and time (1, 2, 4, 8, and 16 days) to investigate the thermo-oxidative aging effect on the two-dimensional plain-woven vitrimer-based composite. The experimental results indicated that the chemical structure changes of vitrimer resin caused by thermo-oxidative aging led to a decrease in compression strength and interfacial strength of CFRV composites. According to the numerical results, the degradation of the vitrimer resin matrix and the interface between fibers and resin weaken the stress-bearing capacity of CFRV composites at the same time. Finally, the increase in the recycling time of CFRV composites suggests that the recyclability of CFRV composites after longtime use should be taken into reconsideration.