Durability of Carbon/Epoxy Composites for Train Carbody under Salt Water Environment

염수환경에 노출된 철도차량용 탄소섬유/에폭시 복합재의 내구성 평가

The durability of carbon/epoxy composites under salt water environment was investigated through salt water spray tester. Salt water environment was obtained through salt spray and salt immersion. 5% NaCl solution was used for salt water as natural salt water. Mechanical test was performed to obtain tensile properties, flexural properties, and shear properties of carbon/epoxy composite over 12 months under salt water environment. Dynamic mechanical analyzer was used to investigate thermal analysis properties such storage modulus, loss modulus, and tan ${\delta}$. Also FT/IR test was conducted to investigate a change in chemical structure. According to the results, mechanical properties were found to be slowly degraded as a function of exposure times. Regarding to thermal analysis properties, storage modulus was insensitive to exposure times, but loss modulus was shown to be slightly decreased. Although the shape and location of peak in FT/IR were not much changed, the intensity of peak in FT/IR was affected on exposure times. We also found that salt water immersion was more severe to the durability of carbon/epoxy composite rather than salt water spray.