Abstract
The effects of water absorption on the dielectric properties of glass-fibre reinforced epoxy resin have been examined as a function of three types of hardeners used to promote cross-linking of the resin. The tests have been conducted under humid atmospheric conditions 0% relative humidity (r.h.) to 100% r.h. and in immersion in the temperature range 25° C to 90° C. The interpretation of the observed water uptake has been made using diffusion laws and this has revealed three distinct mechanisms of water absorption of which one is only observed in immersion. Under humid conditions there exists a water concentration threshold reached at a specimen weight gain of 0.6 to 0.7% beyond which irreversible changes are observed in the mechanical properties together with ionic conduction. Despite this observation the dielectric properties are reversible in all cases and are function only of the quantity of water absorbed in the body of the material.
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Cotinaud, M., Bonniau, P. & Bunsell, A.R. The effect of water absorption on the electrical properties of glass-fibre reinforced epoxy composites. J Mater Sci 17, 867–877 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00540386
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00540386