Probing Shape Recovery in Thin-Ply Composites With Shape Memory Effect

Shape recovery in plain-weave carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) thin-ply composites is studied with a new SMP-epoxy polymer matrix. Static tensile and viscoelastic relaxation experiments were performed on the proposed SMP-epoxy test coupons to obtain long-term relaxation and elastic properties. Using experimental inputs, the time-dependent behavior of plain-weave CFRP laminates modeled using the laminate homogenization method is analyzed at the coupon scale. Storage and deployment of CFRP structures are simulated using the Column Bending Test (CBT). The effect of shape-memory polymer (SMP) on bending-relaxation in CFRP laminated was investigated through CBT simulation. The bending moment and curvature in CFRP coupons are analyzed as a precursor to propose SMP-epoxy polymer in CFRP for deployable space structures.