Lukachevskaia Irina G, Kychkin Aisen, Kychkin Anatoly K, Vasileva Elena D, Markov Aital E
Federal Research Centre "The Yakut Scientific Centre of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences", 2 Petrovskogo Str., Yakutsk 677000, Russia.
V.P. Larionov Institute of Physical and Technical Problems of the North Siberian Branch Russian Academy of Sciences, 1 Oktyabrskaya Str., Yakutsk 677980, Russia.
Polymers (Basel). 2025 Jul 18;17(14):1980. doi: 10.3390/polym17141980.
This study focuses on the influence of prolonged ultraviolet (UV) irradiation on the mechanical properties and surface microstructure of glass fiber-reinforced plastics (GFRPs) and basalt fiber-reinforced plastics (BFRPs), which are widely used in construction and transport infrastructure. The relevance of the research lies in the need to improve the reliability of composite materials under extended exposure to harsh climatic conditions. Experimental tests were conducted in a laboratory UV chamber over 2000 h, simulating accelerated weathering. Mechanical properties were evaluated using three-point bending, while surface conditions were assessed via profilometry and microscopy. It was shown that GFRPs exhibit a significant reduction in flexural strength-down to 59-64% of their original value-accompanied by increased surface roughness and microdefect depth. The degradation mechanism of GFRPs is attributed to the photochemical breakdown of the polymer matrix, involving free radical generation, bond scission, and oxidative processes. To verify these mechanisms, FTIR spectroscopy was employed, which enabled the identification of structural changes in the polymer phase and the detection of mass loss associated with matrix decomposition. In contrast, BFRP retained up to 95% of their initial strength, demonstrating high resistance to UV-induced aging. This is attributed to the shielding effect of basalt fibers and their ability to retain moisture in microcavities, which slows the progress of photo-destructive processes. Comparison with results from natural exposure tests under extreme climatic conditions (Yakutsk) confirmed the reliability of the accelerated aging model used in the laboratory.
本研究聚焦于长期紫外线（UV）照射对玻璃纤维增强塑料（GFRP）和玄武岩纤维增强塑料（BFRP）机械性能及表面微观结构的影响，这两种材料广泛应用于建筑和交通基础设施。该研究的意义在于需要提高复合材料在长期暴露于恶劣气候条件下的可靠性。在实验室紫外线箱中进行了超过2000小时的实验测试，模拟加速老化。使用三点弯曲评估机械性能，通过轮廓仪和显微镜评估表面状况。结果表明，GFRP的抗弯强度显著降低，降至其原始值的59 - 64%，同时表面粗糙度和微缺陷深度增加。GFRP的降解机制归因于聚合物基体的光化学分解，涉及自由基生成、键断裂和氧化过程。为验证这些机制，采用了傅里叶变换红外光谱（FTIR），它能够识别聚合物相的结构变化并检测与基体分解相关的质量损失。相比之下，BFRP保留了高达95%的初始强度，表现出对紫外线诱导老化的高抗性。这归因于玄武岩纤维的屏蔽作用及其在微腔中保持水分的能力，这减缓了光破坏过程的进展。与极端气候条件下（雅库茨克）自然暴露试验的结果比较，证实了实验室中使用的加速老化模型的可靠性。
