Abstract
In order to characterize very local energy dissipation during crack propagation in polymers, an ultramicrotome was instrumented to measure the energy dissipated during sectioning. The work to section per unit area, W s, was measured for five different amorphous polymers [polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polystyerene (PS), polycarbonate (PC) and two epoxy resins] in the glassy state. When the section thickness was varied between 60 and 250 nm, W s varied between 15 and 100 Jm−2, depending on the material and section thickness. The method and the results are compared with other methods used for determining the energy dissipation at a local level as well as at a macroscopic level in polymers. The differences between different polymers were found to be contradictory to macroscopic fracture toughness, G lc, measurements. The material that showed the highest W s had the lowest G lc values reported. Possible mechanisms for energy dissipation during sectioning are also discussed.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
A. J. KINLOCH and R. J. YOUNG, “Fracture Behaviour of Polymers” (Elsevier, London, 1988) p. 74.
N. E. KING and E. H. ANDREWS, J. Mater. Sci. 13 (1978) 1291.
L. H. SPERLING, “Introduction to Physical Polymer Science”, 2nd Edn (Wiley, Toronto, 1992) p. 544.
J. BRANDRUP and E. H. IMMERGUT, “Polymer Handbook”, 3rd Edn (Wiley, New York, 1989) pp. V78, V83, VI414–432.
H. H. KAUSCH, “Polymer Fracture” (Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1987) p. 273.
D. C. PHILLIPS, J. M. SCOTT and M. JONES, J. Mater. Sci. 13 (1978) 311.
G. B. MCKENNA, J. M. CRISSMAN and A. LEE, Polym. Prepr. 29 (1988) 128.
H. F. MARK, N. M. BIKALES, C. G. OVERBERGER and G. MENGES (Eds), “Encylopedia of Polymer Science and Engineering” (Wiley, New York, 1987) p. 7.372.
L. ASP, L. A. BERGLUND and P. GUDMUNDSON, Compos. Sci. Technol. submitted.
R. J. MORGAN, F.-M. KONG and C. M. WALKUP, Polymer 25 (1984) 375.
G. J. LAKE and P. B. LINDLEY, J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 9 (1965) 1233.
R. J. MORGAN and J. E. O'NEAL, Polym.-Plast. Technol. Eng. 10 (1978) 49.
R. P. WOOL and A. T. ROCKHILL, J. Macromol. Sci.-Phys. B20 (1981) 85.
K. A. MAZICH, M. A. SAMUS, C. A. SMITH and G. ROSSI, Macromol. 24 (1991) 2766.
A. G. ATKINS and J. F. V. VINCENT, J. Mater. Sci. Lett. 3 (1984) 310.
N. MOHAMMADI, R. BAGHERI, G. A. MILLER, A. KLEIN and L. H. SPERLNG, Polym. Testing 12 (1993) 65.
P. FORDYCE, B. M. FANCONI and K. L. DEVRIES, Polym. Eng. Sci. 24 (1984) 421.
A. C.-M. YANG, C. K. LEE and S. L. FERLINE, J. Polym. Sci. Polym. Phys. Ed. 30 (1992) 1123.
G. J. LAKE and A. G. THOMAS, Proc. R. Soc. Lond. A300 (1967) 108.
J. F. V. VINCENT, Europ. Microsc. Anal. May (1991) 13.
R. T. ALLISON and J. F. V. VINCENT, J. Microsc. 159 (1990) 203.
B. J. DOBRASZCZYK, A. G. ATKINS, G. JERONIMIDIS and P. P. PURSLOW, Meat Sci. 21 (1987) 25.
S. HODSON and J. MARSHALL, J. Microsc. 95 (1972) 459.
A. J. SAUBERMANN, W. D. RILEY and R. BEEUWKES III, ibid. 111 (1977) 39.
P. WIKEFELDT, PhD thesis, Chalmers Institute of Technology (1973) in Swedish.
H. F. HELANDER, J. Microsc. 101 (1974) 81.
J. L. WILLETT, K. M. O'CONNER and R. P. WOOOL, J. Polym. Sci., Polym. Phys. Ed. 24 (1986) 2583.
W. J. PATZELT, “Polarisationsmikroskopie”, Grundlagen, Instrumente, Anwendungen. Ernst Leitz GMBH (1974).
K. A. H. LINDBERG, PhD thesis 1987, Luleå University of Technology (1987).
R. M. D. MESQUITA and M. J. M. BARATA MARQUES, J. Mater. Process. Technol. 33 (1992) 229.
O. DOI and M. YOKOYAMA, Bull. JSME 18 (1975) 905.
Idem. ibid. 21 (1978) 161.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ericson, M.L., Lindberg, H. A method of measuring energy dissipation during crack propagation in polymers with an instrumented ultramicrotome. JOURNAL OF MATERIALS SCIENCE 31, 655–662 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00367882
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00367882