Temperature dependence of glass fiber/epoxy interface normal strength examined by a cruciform specimen method

This study evaluates the temperature dependence of interfacial normal strength using a cruciform specimen method. The specimen consists of a glass fiber monofilament embedded transversely in an epoxy matrix that is cruciform in shape. The specimen is cured at either room temperature or at 100 °C. The cruciform test is conducted under various test temperatures using a fabricated micro-mechanical testing system equipped with a heating system to control the test temperatures. A finite-element analysis is performed to obtain the interfacial normal stress considering the thermal residual stress which varies with the test temperature. The results suggest that the interfacial normal strength does not decrease with temperature whereas the matrix strength does.