Abstract: Because of outdoor application, polyester fiber/PVC flexible composite materials are tend to age under solar radiation, and the mechanical properties will then be affected. Artificial xenon arc lamp gives a good simulation of outdoor environment, so the influence of accelerated aging by artificial xenon arc lamp on the bursting and tearing properties of polyester fiber/PVC flexible composite were investigated. The bursting and tearing properties of the aged and un-aged composites, as well as the failure mechanism, were investigated by static mechanical tests. The failure mechanism of two different tearing modes were compared. The change of the peak position and intensity were illustrated by FTIR, and the micro-morphology were examined by SEM. It is found out that carbonyl compound and conjugated double bond are mostly formed in the polyester fiber/PVC flexible composite accelerated aging by artificial xenon arc lamp. The tearing property of the flexible composite decreases significantly with aging time. Different tearing modes result in significant difference in tearing force.

Key words: artificial xenon arc lamp aging, polyester fiber/PVC flexible composite, bursting property, tearing property