Mechanical properties of DPX-6 before and after accelerated ageing at 71 C

Uniaxial compression tests have been performed on cylindrical test items with L≈D of DPX-6 before and after ageing. Accelerated ageing was done at 71oC on test items wrapped in aluminium foil. Samples were taken out after 30, 60, 120 and 180 days of ageing and tested by uniaxial compression test at room temperature and – 50oC. For test items not aged and aged for 180 days, compression tests were also carry out at 60oC. At room temperature the effect of ageing gives a moderate increase in max stress and strain at max stress, while the Emodulus is unchanged. At low temperature the max stress is unchanged or shows a slight reduction due to ageing. The strain at max stress shows an increase of 10% while the E-Modulus shows a similar reduction for the oldest test items. Uniaxial compressive properties of DPX-6 at different test temperatures shown that max stress decrease from 44.0 MPa at -50oC to 8.8 MPa at 60oC, that strain at max stress goes from 5.72 % to 4.12 % and that E-modulus goes from 1405 MPa to 361.4 MPa when the test temperature goes from -50oC to 60oC. The effect of accelerated ageing at 71oC for 180 days has moderate effect on the mechanical properties of DPX-6.