Determination of various deformation processes in impact-modified PMMA at strain rates up to 105%/min

The deformation processes in impact-modified PMMA, which deforms homogeneously, were determined by means of the stress/strain experiment (, ) with simultaneous lateral strain measurement (_lat) in a wide range of strain rates () up to 10⁵%/min (impact stress). The elastic, plastic cavitation and plastic shear processes were determined as a function of strain. Therefore we calculated the elastic strain ( _el), the elastic volume expansion ( _{vol el}), the cavitation strain ( _cav), which is identical with the plastic volume expansion ( _{vol pl}), the shear strain ( _sh) and the energy densities (W_el, W_cav, W_sh) related to these three processes.For strains of 3 % onward it was found that plastic shear processes and plastic cavitation processes are responsible for a partial loss of elastically stored energy. Both plastic processes turn out to be mostly anelastic deformations, their amount depending strongly on the strain rate. The contributions of the processes to the total deformation of the unmodified PMMA in its strain range are similar to those of the impact-modified PMMA, and the high impact strength is caused by a shift of the catastrophic rupture to very high strains.     

VISCOELASTIC BEHAVIOR OF THE NON-HOOKE DEFORMATION BEFORE YIELDING IN UNIAXIAL DRAWING OF AMORPHOUS POLY(ETHYLENE TEREPHTHALATE)*

Viscoelastic behavior of the non-Hooke deformation of amorphous PET film before yield was investigated in thetemperature region 74--80.5℃ around the glass transition temperature. The film specimen was drawn to yield point followedby unloading to zero stress, then the residual deformation was held constant, while the subsequent evolution of the stress wasrecorded. An induction period was found in the course of stress evolution fol1owed by a stress step-increase. The inductionperiod decreases with increasing drawing temperature with an activation energy of 1.10 MJ/mol·K, which is attributed tothe time needed for the relaxation of rubbery deformation through cooperative internal rotations. At temperatures lower than74℃, there is no stress increase or the induction period becomes too long to be observed. Thus the nature of anelasticity inthe non-Hooke region before yielding is attributed to stress induced rubbery deformation. The experimental results areinterpreted in terms of Perez' rheological model of a series connected Hooke spring and a Voigt element consisting of aparallel connected elastic spring and a dashpot.     

Uniaxial deformation and orientation of ethylene–tetrafluoroethylene films

This study concerns the thermal and mechanical response of several commercial grades of ethylene – tetrafluoroethylene copolymer films. Differential scanning calorimetry was used to show that, although films have similar degrees of crystallinity and melting temperature, the melting endotherms and crystallisation exotherms differ between materials, suggesting small changes in composition between manufacturers. Films were deformed in tension at a range of temperatures and rates. Selected films were unloaded immediately after stretching, and measurement of the elastic recovery highlighted further differences between materials. Batches of films were pre-drawn uniaxially above the glass transition and immediately quenched. When these materials were subsequently re-drawn below the glass transition temperature, most of them exhibited much improved yield stress, modulus and tensile strength (improving by factors of 5, 5 and 4, respectively at a draw ratio of 3), but a reduced strain to failure. In most of the films, the pre-drawing, as well as the initial orientation of the films, is accounted for by a simple shift in the true strain axis. This is indicative of a material response dominated by entropic network stretch. It also suggests that, in the cases where strain superposition does not work, a different arrangement of crystalline lamellae may be present, limiting the extent to which improved properties can be achieved in some materials.     

Influence of the surface morphology on the melting of polymer crystals. I. Loops of random length and adjacent reentry

A polymer crystal with a noncrystalline surface layer formed by chain loops of different lengths is considered. It is assumed that the length of each loop can be changed by longitudinal diffusion of the molecule through the crystal lattice. From the condition that the free energy of the system is minimum, the loop length distribution and the average loop length as function of temperature are calculated. In contrast to the results for loops of equal length, for the present model, a substantial thickness of the noncrystalline surface layer and a broad melting range is obtained also for the case of adjacent reentry. In order to get this result one has to take into account that even an “ideal fold” consists of at least four rigidly arranged CH2 groups in energetically unfavored conformation.     

On the temperature Dependence of the orientational Order Parameter in the Nematic Phase of Cyanophenyl Behzoates

The orientational order parameters fot two liquid crystal materials, 4-cyanophenyl 4-butylbenzoate and 4-cyanophenyl 4-pentylbenzoate, have been derived by measuring the change in the refractive index as function of temperature. The order parameters are compared with MaierSaupe theory, and the sharpness of the transitions has been shown using the Haller's plot.     

A novel design of membrane mirror with small deformation and imaging performance analysis in infrared system

A method of diminishing the shape error of membrane mirror is proposed in this paper. The inner inflating pressure is considerably decreased by adopting the pre-shaped membrane. Small deformation of the membrane mirror with greatly reduced shape error is sequentially achieved. Primarily a finite element model of the above pre-shaped membrane is built on the basis of its mechanical properties. Then accurate shape data under different pressures can be acquired by iteratively calculating the node displacements of the model. Shape data are applicable to build up deformed reflecting surfaces for the simulative analysis in ZEMAX. Finally, ground-based imaging experiments of 4-bar targets and nature scene are conducted. Experiment results indicate that the MTF of the infrared system can reach to 0.3 at a high spatial resolution of 10l p/mm, and texture details of the nature scene are well-presented. The method can provide theoretical basis and technical support for the applications in lightweight optical components with ultra-large apertures.     

Shear and extensional rheology of entangled polymer melts: Similarities and differences

This work extends our previous understanding concerning the nonlinear responses of entangled polymer solutions and melts to large external deformation in both simple shear and uniaxial extension. Many similarities have recently been identified for both step strain and startup continuous deformation, including elastic yielding, i.e., chain disentanglement after cessation of shear or extension, and emergence of a yield point during startup deformation that involves a deformation rate in excess of the dominant molecular relaxation rate. At a sufficiently high constant Hencky rate, uniaxial extension of an entangled melt is known to produce window-glass-like rupture. The present study provides evidence against the speculation that chain entanglements tie up into "dead knots" in constant-rate extension because of the exponentially growing chain stretching with time. In particular, it is shown that even Instron-style tensile stretching, i.e., extending a specimen by applying a constant velocity on both ends, results in rupture. Yet, in the same rate range, the same entangled melt only yields in simple shear, and the resulting shear banding is clearly not a characteristic of rupture. Thus, we conclude that chain entanglements respond to simple shear in the manner of yielding whereas uniaxial extension is rather effective in causing some entanglements to lock up, making it impossible for the entanglement network to yield at high rates.     

Exact solution of functionally graded thick cylinder with finite length under longitudinally non-uniform pressure

Elastic analysis of a functionally graded thick-walled cylindrical pressure vessel is analytically studied in the present research. Gradation is considered for all mechanical properties along the thickness direction based on a power function. The constitutive relations are developed in the general cylindrical coordinate system for an axisymmetric pressurized cylinder. For simulation of these two deformation components, first order shear deformation theory is considered. The FG cylinder is subjected to longitudinally non-uniform pressure along the length of the cylinder. The present problem is applicable for simulation of non-uniform pressurized cylinder by fluids or gases.     

Orientation-dependent deformation mechanisms of bcc niobium nanoparticles

Nanoparticles usually exhibit pronounced anisotropic properties, and a close insight into the atomic-scale deformation mechanisms is of great interest. In present study, atomic simulations are conducted to analyse the compression of bcc nanoparticles, and orientation-dependent features are addressed. It is revealed that surface morphology under indenter predominantly governs the initial elastic response. The loading curve follows the flat punch contact model in [1 1 0] compression, while it obeys the Hertzian contact model in [1 1 1] and [0 0 1] compressions. In plastic deformation regime, full dislocation gliding is dominated in [1 1 0] compression, while deformation twinning is prominent in [1 1 1] compression, and these two mechanisms coexist in [0 0 1] compression. Such deformation mechanisms are distinct from those in bulk crystals under nanoindentation and nanopillars under compression, and the major differences are also illuminated. Our results provide an atomic perspective on the mechanical behaviours of bcc nanoparticles and are helpful for the design of nanoparticle-based components and systems.     

Toward deformation densities for intramolecular interactions without radical reference states using the fragment,atom, localized,delocalized, and interatomic (FALDI) charge density decomposition scheme

A novel approach for calculating deformation densities is presented, which enables to calculate the deformation density resulting from a change between two chemical states, typically conformers, without the need for radical fragments. The Fragment, Atom, Localized, Delocalized, and Interatomic (FALDI) charge density decomposition scheme is introduced, which is applicable to static electron densities (FALDI‐ED), conformational deformation densities (FALDI‐DD) as well as orthodox fragment‐based deformation densities. The formation of an intramolecular NH⋅⋅⋅N interaction in protonated ethylene diamine is used as a case study where the FALDI‐based conformational deformation densities (with atomic or fragment resolution) are compared with an orthodox EDA‐based approach. Atomic and fragment deformation densities revealed in real‐space details that (i) pointed at the origin of density changes associated with the intramolecular H‐bond formation and (ii) fully support the IUPAC H‐bond representation. The FALDI scheme is equally applicable to intra‐ and intermolecular interactions. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.