Various characterization and certification processes are required for the use of carbon fibre reinforced
plastics (CFRP) in the aerospace industry. This applies in particular if the material is in contact with
reactive liquids. However, this poses a number of challenges, as the liquid oxygen used as an oxidizer,
for example, can undergo a thermal reaction with the organic substances in the CFRP [1]. This highly
exothermic reaction leads to a catastrophic failure of the entire launch vehicle. For this reason, it is
essential to determine the compatibility of the tank materials used for the storage of liquid oxygen [2].
Several compatibility tests carried out at University of the Bundeswehr Munich have shown that the
results obtained are sometimes subject to extreme fluctuations, which can lead to inconsistent statements
about material compatibility. The influencing variables that affect the reaction process are partly
unknown and are not taken into account in the standard. Based on the known problem, a newly developed
test rig was set up at the University of the Bundeswehr Munich. The influence of the use of peel ply on
the compatibility results was explicitly investigated. As a result of the stripping process, rough ridges
and irregularities remain on the surface. The roughness of the component surface, caused by cavities,
indentations, and surface irregularities, along with local dry spots, leads to increased reactivity of the
sample in a liquid oxygen environment. As part of a series of tests to determine the influencing variables
on the reaction process of carbon fibre-reinforced plastics in liquid oxygen, it was demonstrated on the
test bench at the University of the Bundeswehr Munich that the chemical reactivity of the samples
increases when using peel ply.
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Various characterization and certification processes are required for the use of carbon fibre reinforced
plastics (CFRP) in the aerospace industry. This applies in particular if the material is in contact with
reactive liquids. However, this poses a number of challenges, as the liquid oxygen used as an oxidizer,
for example, can undergo a thermal reaction with the organic substances in the CFRP [1]. This highly
exothermic reaction leads to a catastrophic failure of the entire launch vehicle....
»