Study on the properties of silicone-modified basalt fiber composites under damp heat aging

Abstract The humid and hot environment is a key factor that threatens the reliability of basalt fiber-reinforced polymer (BFRP). In this work, a sizing agent with silicone-modified epoxy resin emulsion was used to study the capability of silicone-modified basalt fiber composites under damp heat aging. The test results show that the modified composite BFRP-SER has good resistance to damp heat aging, and its flexural strength and breakdown field strength decrease by 30.1% and 35.2%, respectively. This is because chemical bonds such as Si-O bonds and C-O bonds have high bond energy, and more energy is required to break these chemical bonds at high temperatures, resulting in a lower degree of hydrolysis of BFRP-SER and hindering the penetration of the medium, thus maintaining performance for a longer period of time.