Variation of the thermal diffusivity of glass and carbon fiber-epoxy composites as a function of water absorption

Polymeric matrix composites can be degraded due to their exposure to wet environments. in this work, the thermal diffusivity of glass and carbon reinforced polymer-matrix composites is determined, and the variability of this property is evaluated as a function of the amount of absorbed water. The results obtained are discussed with respect to the efficiency of the heat exchange capacity of each composite. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.