Aging Mechanism and Lifetime Prediction of Glass Fiber Reinforced Liquid Crystal Polymer Composite under Thermal and Oxidative Conditions

Development of fifth-generation technology leads to a growing demand for materials with exceptional thermal property, mechanical strength, and low dielectric loss. However, ensuring the broad application of such materials by comprehensively investigating their aging mechanisms and service lifetimes remains a challenge. In this work, we have developed a glass fiber (GF) reinforced liquid crystal polymer composite (GF/LCP) and conducted a thorough exploration of its aging mechanism, behavior, and service lifetime under thermal and oxidative conditions. On the basis of the general Arrhenius model, the composite maintains a high level of functionality for a remarkable 18 years at 150 degrees C and 1.5 years at 200 degrees C. Despite the extremely high thermal resistance of GF/LCP composite, the LCP matrix exhibits localized brittle fracture, and the main chains still undergo gradual degradation to generate phenolic groups, which ultimately leads to severe pulverization and mass loss. However, a high degree of connection maintenance between GF and LCP components is still reserved. This work provides a valuable reference for the reliable application of 5G materials under thermal and oxidative conditions.