Stress-induced crazes

Rothwell, Martinson and Gorman have studied the formation of stress induced crazes in polymethyl methacrylate. The sample was initially stressed and held at a strain of 3.5 %. Upon relaxation, SAXS-patterns of 1.5 s were recorded using a linear photodiode detector array. A sequence of selected curves recorded in a plane parallel to the strain direction is shown in Fig. 49. The peak at h = 0.014 is probably due to an... 

Kefalas VA (1995) Solvent crazing as a stress-induced surface adsorption and bulk plasticization effect. J Appl Polym Sci 58(4) 711-717... 

For a HIPS sample tested at a stress amplitude of 17.2 MPa and a frequency of 0.2 Hz, hysteresis loops taken at various cycles (Fig. 7) indicated that craze initiation was first observed for this sample after about 20 cycles, while 283 cycles were required to fracture. For similar fatigue tests carried out at the lower frequency of 0.02 Hz, the cycles to fracture were decreased (from 283 to 64) and loop asymmetry and craze formation began sooner, at about 1-2 cycles. The changes produced in hysteresis loops with cycling are shown in Fig. 19. With decrease of test frequency reduces, the entire S-N curve shifts to the left as shown by Fig. 18, and, because of the increased time for each cycle, fatigue induced craze initiation occurs earlier in the specimen lifetime. 

Case a stress-induced formation of fibrillated crazes. The weak rubber particles act as stress concentrators. Crazes are formed starting from the particle-matrix interface around the equatorial region of particles. The voids inside the crazes initiate a stress concentration at the craze tip, which propagates together with the propagating craze therefore, the crazes reproduce the stress state necessary for their propagation. Cavitation inside the rubber particles is not necessary, but it enables a higher stress concentration and easier deformation of the particles. 

Case b stress-induced formation of homogeneous crazes. The stress concentration at the particles causes homogeneous crazes to start at the particle-matrix interfaces. Propagation of these crazes into the matrix is accomplished by an increase of volume, which arises from cavitation inside the particles (the possible mechanism of cavitation inside the originally homogeneous crazes is unlikely). Therefore, these crazes are closely connected to the cavitated rubber particles—they cannot propagate for distances as long as those of the fibrillated crazes—and appear mainly between particles. 

Fig. 13.7 Composite particles of high compliance nucleating crazes around them, governed by their potential for stress-induced elimination of material misfit through crazes (after Argon et al. (1985) courtesy of The Plastics and Rubber Institute).

In general, a variety of mechanisms may contribute to the failure of actual components in service. These may include chemical degradation or oxidation a chemical mechanism that may induce cross-linking and chain-scission. Alternately, other physical processes may alter the state of the polsrmer (eg, surface active agents in the presence of stress may induce crazes due to local diflfiision of the agents near defects). These aspects are not discussed in this article. 

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