Mechanical Degradation and Fatigue Life of Amorphous Polymers

Thierry Barriere, Xavier Gabrion, Najimi Imane, Sami Holopainen

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionScientificpeer-review

1 Citation (Scopus)
3 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Due to favorable properties (cheap price, easy processing, preeminent combination of toughness and strength, clearness, recyclability etc.), amorphous polymers are widely used in windows, sporting goods, vehicles, aeronautic equipment, electronics, and health technology. However, their applications may suffer from fatigue, when material fails at significantly lower stress levels than under monotonic loading conditions; fatigue loads result in polymer degradation which can affect horrific accidents (e.g., the air disaster of China Airlines Flight 611) and tremendous financial losses. Despite this motivation, fatigue behavior of amorphous polymers has been scarcely investigated so far. In this study, micro-mechanical characteristics of amorphous structure and their influence on macroscopic deformation behavior (ratcheting) and fatigue life are investigated. It was found (SEM results) that polymer degradation is the process of failure (shear banding affecting micro-cracking and fracture) causing finally breakdown of polymer network. The degradation process was very rate sensitive, and the crack initiation phase before rapid rupture of the material encompassed the majority (even 95 %) of the total fatigue life. Certain fracture surfaces showed sharpened protrusions indicating that the separation of the fracture surfaces from each other occurred precisely on those protrusions. The vein-like, cellular, and rippled patterns of shear bands on fracture surfaces increased fracture toughness and thus, fatigue resistance and life.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationProcedia Structural Integrity
PublisherElsevier
Pages105-110
Number of pages6
Volume52
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2024
Publication typeA4 Article in conference proceedings
Event21st International Conference on Fracture, Damage and Structural Health Monitoring, FDM 2023 - London, United Kingdom
Duration: 12 Sept 202314 Sept 2023

Publication series

NameProcedia Structural Integrity
PublisherElsevier Science Publishers B.V.
ISSN (Print)2452-3216

Conference

Conference21st International Conference on Fracture, Damage and Structural Health Monitoring, FDM 2023
Country/TerritoryUnited Kingdom
CityLondon
Period12/09/2314/09/23

Funding

We thank Dr. S. Carbillet for contributing experimental facilities.

Keywords

  • Cyclic viscoplasticity
  • Fatigue
  • Polymers
  • Ratcheting

Publication forum classification

  • Publication forum level 1

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Civil and Structural Engineering
  • General Materials Science
  • Mechanics of Materials
  • Mechanical Engineering

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