The Effects of Environmental Temperature and Additional Pressure on the Bonding Characteristics of Co-cured Carbon/Epoxy-Aluminum Single Lap Joints

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the bonding characteristics of a filament wound structure with an aluminum mandrel under different temperature conditions. During the filament winding process, the filament tension generates pressure in the pre-wound plies and mandrel. To simulate pressure in the filament wound structure with a single lap joint specimen, a pressure-generating device has been introduced and applied to the bonding part of the specimen. The single lap joint, composed of a carbon/epoxy prepreg and aluminum beam, was fabricated by an autoclave degassing molding process, at a pressure of 0.7 MPa (absolute including vacuum) and maximum curing temperature of 135 degrees C. The environmental temperature conditions of -20 degrees C, 25 degrees C, and 50 degrees C were used in the experimental tests, in order to consider the service condition of passenger cars. The static bonding strength and fatigue life of the specimen under different temperature conditions with and without the additional pressures were measured and compared.