Laser-Heating Studies of Composite Materials

Abstract

Experiments on laser heating of carbon‐methacrylate composite materials are described and compared to a theoretical model. The model assumes hydrodynamic response and uses the Mie‐Grüneisen equation of state. The laser experiments are carried out on samples with carbon fibers (10‐μ diam and 250 μ long) uniformly dispersed in a polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) matrix. The samples irradiated had a carbon to PMMA mass ratio of 1:1000. The fluence range was from 0.12 to 2.0 J/cm² and the resulting pressure ranged from 0.3 to 30 bar. By assuming that rapid energy transfer is accomplished by vaporized carbon penetrating cracks in the matrix, the results are in accord with the theory.