Abstract
In this study, the effects of combined environmental factors on mechanical and thermal analysis properties of graphite/epoxy composites were evaluated by the use of an accelerated aging test. Environmental factors such as temperature, moisture. and ultraviolet were considered. A xenon-arc lamp was utilized for ultraviolet light. and exposure times of up to 3000 hours were applied. Several types of specimens - tensile. bending, and shear specimens those are transverse to the fiber direction, and bending specimens those are parallel to the tiber direction - were used to investigate the effects of environmental factors on mechanical properties of the composites. Also, glass transition temperature, storage shear modulus, loss shear modulus, and tan ${\delta}$ were measured as a function of exposure times through a dynamic mechanical analyzer. In addition. a suitable testing method for determining the effect of environmental factors on mechanical properties is suggested by comparing the results from using two different types of strain measuring sensors. Finally, composite surfaces exposed to environmental factors were examined using a scanning electron microscope.
