Uniaxial extension and shear in combination with cyclic straining as a promising method for studying the viscoelasticity of polymers over a wide range of stresses and strains atT > T g

Simple relations are found between the fracture strains, the long-term durability and the initial values of parameters characterizing polymer rheology at deformation rates and stresses approaching zero. Fracture regimes are determined by two groups of parameters. One includes critical values of stresses. They are invariant with repect to temperature and molecular weight of the polymers; the values of critical stresses for different polymer compositions differ by a factor of 10 to 20. The second group of critical parameters includes the rates of deformation determined by the initial viscosity. The latter may vary by many orders of magnitude. There exists a universal critical value determining polymer fracture independent of linear macromolecule composition, its molecular weight, the temperature and the way of attaining a given state. This value is the recoverable strain and is equal to 0.5 according to Hencky. There exists a relation between the maximum value of recoverable strain in the transition region from the rubbery to the leathery state and the extensibility of macromolecules for polymers with various molecular weights. Quenching of the polymer near the maximum recoverable strain makes it possible to obtain high strength samples. Overspurt regimes for polymer flow have also been studied. It has been shown that this causes polymer static electrification. Simple and unique dependences of the charge density on temperature and polymer molecular weight have been established.Presented at the 28th IUPAC International Symposium on Macromolecules, June 1982, Amherst, Mass. (USA)Dedicated to Prof. Dr. Josef Schurz on the occassion of his 60th birthday