Viscoelastic parameters of certain polymers in the temperature interval 4.2–240°K

The principal elastic constants of Nylon 6, Nylon 7, Nylon 6.10, Nylon 11, Nylon 12, PVC, PMMA, polystyrene, and polyvinylfluoride have been calculated from data on the velocity of ultrasonic longitudinal and shear waves measured at a frequency of 5 MHz on the temperature interval 4.2–240°K. It is shown that at cryogenic temperatures the dynamic moduli of elasticity are, to a considerable extent, determined by the characteristics of the chemical structure of the polymers. It is suggested that the Poisson's ratios of the polymers depend on their free volume.Scientific-Research Institute of Plastics, Moscow. Translated from Mekhanika Polimerov, No. 4, pp. 604–609, July–August, 1973.     

Temperature dependence of the mechanical properties of polymers of different chemical structure in the temperature range from 4.2 to 300°K

Conclusions 1. The temperature dependences obtained for the ultimate alongation, tensile strength, and elastic modulus of various polymers showed that the relationship between the mechanical properties and chemical structure of macromolecules found in our earlier work at 4.2°K is retained at 78°K and, possibly, up to 90°K.2. It was shown that the passage of the tensile strength through a maximum upon warming from 4.2°K results from a corresponding increase in deformability, which is accompanied by a decrease in the elastic modulus and deviation of the polymer bodies from Hooke's law progressively with increasing temperature.3. It was shown that the amorphization of crystallizing polymers, for example, by quenching, gives a marked change in the deformability, tensile strength, and elasticity of the polymer body over the entire range from 300 down to 4.2°K.4. Study of the mechanical properties of polymers at 78°K in a helium medium and liquid nitrogen showed a marked effect of contact of the polymer with liquid nitrogen on these properties. This effect is different for polymers of varying chemical structure as well as for the same polymer in different physical states.Report presented at the Third All-Union Conference on Polymer Mechanics, Riga, November 10–12, 1976.L. Ya. Karpov Scientific-Research Institute of Physical Chemistry, Moscow. Translated from Mekhanika Polimerov, No. 3, pp. 387–391, May–June, 1977.     

Measurement of the strength of plastics in high-speed compression

A previously developed [1] method of determining the strength of plastics in high-speed compression is extended to the temperature range –196° to +150°C. Dynamic strength data have been obtained for epoxy-polyester and polyvinyl butyral resins and glass-fabric reinforced plastics based on these resins in the indicated temperature range.Mekhanika Polimerov, Vol. 1, No. 5, pp. 34–38, 1965     

Dielectric investigation of the molecular mobility of silicone ladder polymers

Dielectric spectroscopy has been used to study the molecular mobility in polyphenylsilsesquioxane, polyphenylisobutylsilsesquioxane with a 1:1 ratio of phenyl to isobutyl groups, and poly-m-chlorophenylsilsequioxane on the temperature interval from –196 to 300°C at frequencies from 10² to 10⁶ Hz. The investigation was carried out in air and in a nitrogen atmosphere. The flexibility mechanism of silicone ladder polymers is considered and the development of molecular mobility is shown to be discrete.Institute of Heteroorganic Compounds, Academy of Sciences of the USSR, Moscow. Translated from Mekhanika Polimerov, No. 1, pp. 3–7, January–February, 1976.     

Effect of temperature on the mechanical properties of boron fibers

The effect of exposure to temperatures on the interval 20–600°C for up to 1000 h on the physicomechanical properties of boron fibers at room temperature has been investigated. Prolonged exposure to temperatures up to 200°C does not have much effect on the mechanical characteristics of the fibers, whereas heating for one hour at 300–350°C increases the strength of the fibers by 10–12%.All-Union Scientific Research Institute of Aviation Materials, Moscow. Translated from Mekhanika Polimerov, No. 2, pp. 329–332, March–April, 1971.     

Investigation of the adiabatic elasticity of polystyrene in the glass-transition region

Experimental results are presented for the density, absorption coefficient, and speed of ultrasound in a morphous polystyrene at frequencies of 375, 910, and 2350 kHz on the temperature interval 15–140°C. The glass-transition temperature does not depend on frequency. The adiabatic elasticity and characteristic impedance are calculated.Kolomna Branch of the All-Union Correspondence Polytechnic Institute. Translated from Mekhanika Polimerov, No. 4, pp. 746–749, July–August, 1973.     

Automated thermomechanograph for investigating polymer microsamples

An instrument has been developed for recording the thermomechanical curves of microsamples of polymers (30 mg) by the penetration method in the continuous heating regime. The thermomechanical curves are recorded by a PDS-021 two-coordinate recorder; the effective temperature range is 20–400°C.Institute of High-Molecular Compounds, Academy of Sciences of the USSR, Leningrad. Translated from Mekhanika Polimerov, Vol. 4, No. 4, pp. 746–749, July–August, 1968.     

Elastic properties of certain polymer matrices at low temperatures

A study is made of the viscoelastic behavior of the polyimide DFO and polybenzoxasol (PBZ) at low temperatures. Pulsed ultrasound is used to measure ultrasonic velocity in polymers at the frequency f=5 MHz within the temperature interval 4.2–240 K. Data obtained from acoustic measurements is used to calculate the dynamic elastic modulus, shear modulus, compressive bulk modulus, Poisson's ratio, and certain thermophysical characteristics (Debye temperature, specific heat, coefficient of linear expansion, Grünheisen parameter). It is established that the investigated polymers have low dynamic moduli at 4.2 K. Their values change by 18–20% within the temperature range 4.2–240 K. The polymers also have a large free volume at the temperature of liquid helium. The results show that polyimide DFO and PBZ have good service properties at low temperatures.Paper presented at the IX International Conference on the Mechanics of Composite Materials, Riga, October, 1995.Moscow State Academy of Automotive and Tractor Engineering, Russia. Translated from Mekhanika Kompozitmykh Materialov, No. 4, pp. 454–459, July–August, 1996.     

Rheological properties of rubbery polymers at low shear stresses

The rheological behavior of the rubbery amorphous polymers SKB-35 (sodium-butadiene rubber), SKN-26M(butadiene-nitrile rubber), and PIB-85 (polyisobutylene) has been investigated in relation to the creep process. The tests were conducted at low shear stresses, in the constant shear stress regime, on the temperature interval from 0 to 100°C using a parallel-plate viscometer. We have shown, for the first time, by a viscometric method that in the high-elastic state rubbery polymers have a particular equilibrium structure corresponding to each temperature. A reduction in temperature leads to molecular ordering processes associated with an increase in the viscosity of the polymer. A temperature rise leads to molecular disordering and a gradual fall in viscosity. At a given temperature the two processes converge to the same value of the equilibrium viscosity. The rate of the process of equilibrium structure formation is determined not only by the temperature but also by the nature of the polymer. The higher the polarity, the more slowly the equilibrium structure is established.Moscow Lenin State Pedagogical Institute, Problem Laboratory of Polymer Physics. Translated from Mekhanika Polimerov, No. 6, pp. 970–974, November–December, 1969.     

On the number of relaxation regions in polyformaldehyde

The mechanical relaxation of a polyformaldehyde homopolymer free from surface grease and the additives normally used as stabilizers has been studied at a frequency of 10^–2 Hz in the temperature region 77–413°K. Six relaxation regions are observed on the curve of tangent of angle of mechanical losses as a function of temperature.T. G. Shevchenko Kiev State University. Translated from Mekhanika Polimerov, No. 5, pp. 925–927, September–October, 1973.     

Direct proofs of self- and mutual diffusion in the formation of adhesion bonds between polymers

The authors discuss experiments aimed at the direct investigation of self- and mutual diffusion in polymers. New electron microscope data are presented for mutual diffusion in the systems polyvinyl chloride — polymethyl methacrylate, polyvinyl chloride — polybutyl methacrylate, and polystyrene — SKS-85. It is shown that with increase in temperature and improvement in compatibility the depth of mutual diffusion increases. The data obtained make it possible to calculate the polymer-polymer diffusion coefficient.Mekhanika Polimerov, Vol. 2, No. 3, pp. 446–452, 1966     

Effect of temperature and strain rate on the adhesion of polyvinyl butyral to glass

The shear strength of silicate glass bonded with polyvinyl butyral has been investigated over a broad temperature interval together with the effect of plasticization of the polymer on the strength of the bond. The _adh ^–t curves have intervals corresponding to adhesion failure, cohesion failure of the substrate, and cohesion failure of the adhesive, respectively. The dependence of adhesion on strain rate has been investigated and a maximum observed at 20 mm/min.Moscow. Translated from Mekhanika Polimerov, No. 6, pp. 1104–1107, November–December, 1970.     

Study of mechanical relaxation processes in ladder organosilicon polymers

Dynamic viscoelastic properties of ladder polyorganosiloxanes have been studied by the method of induced resonance oscillations in the temperature range from –150 to 300°C and in the frequency range from 8 to 300 Hz. Two broad maxima of mechanical losses were observed for all the polymers studied independently of their chemical structure, a low-temperature maximum in the –150 to 0°C region and a high-temperature maximum in the 0 to 250°C region. It was found that the introduction of alkyl groups into polyphenylsilsesquioxanes does not noticeably affect the position and nature of the low-temperature relaxation peaks but in certain cases leads to an increase in the dynamic modulus in polyphenylalkylsilsesquioxanes, compared with the modulus of polyphenylsilsesquioxane in the same temperature region. In the high-temperature region, a distinct dependence is observed of the relaxation peak on the length and the content of alkyl groups in the polymer. It has been found that increase in the length and the content of alkyl groups is accompanied by a shift in the peak in the direction of low temperatures and a decrease in the value of the modulus. Hypotheses have been suggested on the nature of the shifts which lead to the relaxation peaks observed in the ladder polyorganosiloxanes.Institute of Heteroorganic Compounds, Academy of Sciences of the USSR, Moscow. Translated from Mekhanika Polimerov, No. 5, pp. 804–809, September–October, 1973.     

Polymer fractography and fracture kinetics

The fractographic method makes it possible to determine the test temperature and time at which anomalies appear in the temperature-time dependence of the strength of polymethyl methacrylate and polycaprolactam by finding the conditions of disappearance of specular zones from the fracture surfaces of these polymers. For PMMA these values are –40°C and 10^–2 sec, for PCL –120°C and 10^–7 sec, respectively.For communication 1 see [2].Ioffe Physicotechnical Institute, Academy of Sciences of the USSR, Leningrad. Translated from Mekhanika Polimerov, No. 2, pp. 232–237, March–April, 1971.     

Effect of temperature on the nature of the tear surface of styrene polymers

The tear surfaces of polystyrene and SKS-85 butadiene-styrene copolymer (85% styrene) have been investigated at temperatures from –45 to +100°C and from –60 to +40°C, respectively. The fracture surface of these polymers changes not only on transition from the glassy to the high-elastic state, but also within the glassy state itself, changes being observed both in the relative extent of the individual zones contributing to the fracture surface and in the nature of those zones. Changes in the nature of the fracture surface associated with a slowing of the fracture process occur at 0 and 40°C in the case of polystyrene and at –10°C in the case of copolymer SKS-85 and are attributable to secondary transitions in the polymers.Moscow Technological Institute of the Meat and Dairy Industry. State Institute of Polymer Adhesives, Kirovakan. Translated from Mekhanika Polimerov, Vol. 5, No. 2, pp. 257–264, March–April, 1969.     

Tensile and impact strengths of acrylics at low temperatures (4.2–300°K)

The tensile strength of an acrylic resin (PA-200) has been determined at temperatures of 300, 77, 20, and 4.2°K and the impact strength at 300 and 77°K.Physico-Technical Institute, Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR, Kharkov. Translated from Mekhanika Polimerov, No. 5, pp. 928–929, September–October, 1969.     

Some laws of plastics friction

The dependence of the actual contact area S of plastics on temperature, specific load, and sliding speed has been investigated. The value of S increases exponentially with the specific load, the maximum value at large specific loads being less than the nominal contact area. The temperature dependence of S under static conditions between 20 and 130° C is attributable to the decrease in the static modulus of elasticity of the plastic near the glass transition point and to the development of high-elastic and plastic deformations at elevated temperatures. There is practically no change in S as the sliding speed varies from 10^–3 to 10 cm/min; at the same time the force of friction increases slightly.Mekhanika Polimerov, Vol. 3, No. 6, pp. 1078–1081, 1967     

Features of viscoelastic behavior of materials based on heat-resistant polymers

Conclusions In the example of polybenzoxazole, the relationships of viscoelastic behavior have been investigated for monolithic heat-resistant polymers over a wide range of temperatures (from 22° to 230°C) and initial deformations (from 0.5 to 2.5%). The experimental data on stress relaxation, covering the regions of linear and nonlinear viscoelasticity, are approximated by the basic equation of the primary cubic theory of Il'yushin, using the singular kernel of Rzhanitsyn. For the first time, the region of stable mechanical capability of monolithic heat-resistant polymers has been defined with due regard for relaxation characteristics.Paper presented at Fourth All-Union Conference on Polymer Mechanics and Composite Materials (Riga, October 1980).Translated from Mekhanika Kompozitnykh Materialov, No. 6, pp. 978–983, November–December, 1980.     

Temperature dependence of the coefficient of friction of Ftorlon-graphite fiber

The reduced friction of Ftorlon (fluoroplastic) — graphite fiber against steel on the temperature interval 120–190°C is examined.Khmel'nitskii Technological Institute of Maintenance and Repairs. Translated from Mekhanika Polimerov, No. 6, pp. 1120–1121, November–December, 1973.     

Birefringence and ultimate strength of butadiene-styrene rubber

The authors present data on the relation between the ultimate strength and birefringence of SKS-30 butadiene-styrene rubber. Rubber test pieces were subjected to orientational stretching in the temperature interval –45 to +120°C.Mekhanika Polimerov, Vol. 2, No. 4, pp. 550–556, 1966