Theoretical Study for Moisture Diffusion in a Carbon/Epoxy Composite Laminate Accompanied by Thermal Conduction

Abstract

This work aims to develop a process to derive the dynamic distribution of moisture content in a carbon/epoxy composite laminate based on theories of thermal conduction and moisture diffusion, which are triggered simultaneously by changes of environmental temperature and humidity. The moisture content in a composite laminate is low and assumed not to affect the thermometric conductivity. However, the local material temperature directly affects the moisture diffusivity, which dominates moisture diffusion. The moisture content derived by the proposed process differs negligibly from that obtained by neglecting the process of thermal conduction in the studied case.