ISSN:
0032-3888
Keywords:
Chemistry
;
Chemical Engineering
Source:
Wiley InterScience Backfile Collection 1832-2000
Topics:
Chemistry and Pharmacology
,
Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, Production Engineering, Mining and Metallurgy, Traffic Engineering, Precision Mechanics
,
Physics
Notes:
The effects of physical aging on the failure behavior of a typical brittle polymer, polystyrene, have been studied. Properties examined were creep rupture lifetimes, fatigue lifetimes, and environmental stress cracking in ethanol. Fractured samples were examined both optically and by scanning electron microscopy to determine the degree of crazing. It was found that a longer physical aging time produced shorter lifetimes in all cases. The main reason for this is the reduction in craze strength caused by a reduced toughness due to physical aging. A long aging time was found to delay craze formation, but once formed, these crazes were much less stable than those formed with a short aging time. The effects of aging are important on failure prediction criteria and on testing methodologies, and the implications are discussed.
Additional Material:
6 Ill.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/pen.760350207
