Probing Physicochemical Performances of 3D Printed Carbon Fiber Composites During 8-Month Exposure to Space Environment

Carbon fiber reinforced polymers (CFRPs) offer exceptional properties that make them highly relevant in the aerospace industry, such as high thermal conductivity and an outstanding strength-to-weight ratio. Advances in additive manufacturing have expanded the aerospace applications of CFRPs, even allowing for in-space fabrication of complex structures. Understanding the stability of CFRPs in the harsh conditions of low Earth orbit (LEO) is crucial. LEO exposes materials to extreme environmental factors, such as vacuum, radiation, atomic oxygen, and temperature fluctuations, which can accelerate degradation. To investigate the space-environment effect on material, changes in properties of 3D-printed CFRPs are compared with CFRPs made through forging and conventional compression molding. Surface analyses examine morphological, chemical, and matrix composition changes, along with an evaluation of mechanical integrity. Remarkably, the naked 3D printed CFRPs withstood 8 months of LEO exposure similar to the compression molded CFRP samples, with changes in chemical properties limited to the sample's outer surface. Further, despite no protective coatings are used, limited surface erosion and no variation in mechanical strength are observed. These results provide relevant information for the development and deployment of novel 3D printed CFRPs materials for a wide spectrum of terrestrial and space applications.