Experimental Study on the Effects of Thermal Cycling and Ultraviolet Irradiation on Stable Characteristics of Carbon Fiber/Bismaleimide Polymer Composite Shells

Carbon fiber/epoxy composites are widely used in aerospace due to their strength and ease of fab weatherrication, but they suffer from glass transition at high temperatures. In contrast, carbon fiber/bismaleimide composites exhibit superior thermal stability, irradiation resistance, and toughness. This study investigates the effects of thermal cycling and UV irradiation on carbon fiber/bismaleimide composite shells. Anti-symmetric shells with varying ply angles were tested under two-point tensile loading. Results show that these shells maintain stability between -70 °C and 180 °C, outperforming epoxy-based composites. This research offers valuable insights for aerospace applications of such bistable shells under thermal and UV aging conditions.