Effects of hydrothermal aging on moisture absorption and property prediction of short carbon fiber reinforced polyamide 6 composites

The present work focuses on the effects of hydrothermal aging on moisture absorption and mechanical durability of short carbon fiber reinforced polyamide 6 (CF/PA6) composites by immersion in water at 20 degrees C, 40 degrees C and 60 C. Tensile strength, Young's modulus and impact strength of PA6 and CF/PA6 specimens are monitored, and a predictive model based on Arrhenius methodology has been utilized to estimate the retention of tensile strength. By gravimetric experiments, moisture uptake and diffusion coefficients of PA6 and CF/PA6 composites are analyzed by Fickian model, with good exponentially decaying fit with tensile strength.