Aging of Polymeric Materials for Use on HSCT

Future commercial supersonic aircraft require long term durability of polymeric materials in environments that include temperature, fluids, loads and cyclic responses. Candidate materials studied to date indicate chemical and physical stability of composites and adhesives over long periods of time in the required thermal environment are in question. Both thermoplastic and thermoset materials show changes in mechanical performance such as open hole compression and compression after impact when exposed to isothermal environments of 177°C to 204°C beyond 5,000 hours.