abstract
Carbon is used as a reinforcing phase in carbon-fiber reinforced polymer composites employed in aeronautical and other technological applications. Under polarization in aqueous media, which can occur on galvanic coupling of carbon-fiber reinforced polymers (CFRP) with metals in multi-material structures, degradation of the composite occurs. These degradative processes are intimately linked with the electrically conductive nature and surface chemistry of carbon. This review highlights the potential corrosion challenges in multi-material combinations containing carbon-fiber reinforced polymers, the surface chemistry of carbon, its plausible effects on the electrochemical activity of carbon, and consequently the degradation processes on carbon-fiber reinforced polymers. The implications of the emerging use of conductive nano-fillers (carbon nanotubes and carbon nanofibers) in the modification of CFRPs on galvanically stimulated degradation of CFRP is accentuated. The problem of galvanic coupling of CFRP with selected metals is set into perspective, and insights on potential methods for mitigation and monitoring the degradative processes in these composites are highlighted.
keywords
CHARGE-SELECTIVE ELECTROCHEMISTRY; ELECTRON-TRANSFER KINETICS; MATRIX INTERFACIAL BOND; OF-THE-ART; MECHANICAL-PROPERTIES; OXYGEN REDUCTION; CYANATE ESTER; SURFACE-CHEMISTRY; TRIBOLOGICAL PROPERTIES; EPOXY MATRIX
subject category
Materials Science
authors
Ofoegbu, SU; Ferreira, MGS; Zheludkevich, ML
our authors
Mário Guerreiro Silva Ferreira
Retired Professor
Stanley Udochukwu Ofoegbu
Collaboratoracknowledgements
S.U. Ofoegbu acknowledges funding from Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia (FCT) Portugal through a doctoral grant (SFRH/BD/75167/2010). This work was partially supported by the European project, PROAIR-Active PROtection of multi-material assemblies for AIRcrafts (EU grant agreement No. 612415).