Glass-ceramics design factors

To a much greater extent than either metals or ceramics, the mechanical properties of polymers show a marked dependence on a nnmber of parameters, inclnding temper-atnre, strain rate, and morphology. In addition, factors snch as molecnlar weight and temperature relative to the glass transition play important roles that are not present in other types of materials. Needless to say, it is impossible to cover, even briefly, all of these effects. We concentrate here on the most important effects that can affect selection of polymers from a mechanical design point of view. 

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