Structural micromechanics of oriented polymers

To clarify whether the interfibrillar slippage occurs on plastic deformation of oriented polymers, flow creep of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMW PE) samples with various connectedness of microfibrils has been studied in a dead load mode at room temperature. The flow creep rate of melt-crystallized and gel-cast UHMW PE films drawn to various draw ratios, as well as of modified gel-crystallized samples (cross-linked/grafted or washed free of low molecular weight fraction) has been measured with the help of a unique laser interferometric technique (Doppler creep rate meter). The technique allows one to measure creep rates for deformation increments as small as 0.3 μ within an accuracy 1%. The interferometric technique enabled us to observe an extremely high variability of flow creep rate. It was recognized that the creep process accelerates or slows from time to time. A length of a loaded sample increased by multiple consecutive deformation jumps (or steps). The size distribution of the steps appeared to be controlled by the structure of interfibrillar regions. The influence of the latter on the variability of creep rate confirms a hypothesis that suggests a contribution of interfibrillar slippage to plastic deformation of oriented polymers. The observed phenomenon has been attributed to stick-slip motion of microfibrils and their aggregates sliding on each other under the action of applied stress. It was found that the creep rate decreases with increasing interfibrillar interaction.     

Effect of the magnetic field on nanometer-scale deformation jumps in polymers

The effect of a constant magnetic field on the rate of jumplike creep under compression is investigated for vitreous polymers with a globular structure. The interferometric method used for recording the creep makes it possible to measure deformation jumps from 300 nm and larger. It is demonstrated that the sizes of deformation jumps in polyester and epoxy resins decrease in the magnetic field (B = 0.2 T). Taking into account that the deformation jump size corresponds to the size of structural inhomogeneities, it is assumed that macroglobules under the action of a constant magnetic field are separated into smaller structural units on the nanometer level.     

Structural heterogeneity and jumplike deformation of polymers on the mesoscopic level

This paper reports on the results of research into the jumplike deformation of two polymers based on poly(oxymethylene) (POM) with structural aggregates (spherulites) of different micrometer-scale sizes at a temperature of 290 K, as well as of polyimide (PI) and a PI + graphite composite at temperatures of 290 and 690 K. The creep rate under compression is measured with a laser interferometer in 0.3-μm deformation increments. It is found that, in the course of deformation on the micrometer scale, the creep rate varies nonmonotonically. Periodic variations of the creep rate correspond to a jumplike (stepwise) behavior of the creep. It is shown that the mean jumps in the microdeformation correspond to the mean sizes of poly(oxymethylene) grains and graphite particles in polyimide. The results obtained are in agreement with previously drawn conclusions: the deformation jumps are determined by the scale of ordered microaggregates typical of the structure under investigation.     

Jumplike deformation of polymer materials on the micrometer and submicrometer structural levels

Jumplike creep is considered as a reflection of the structural heterogeneity of amorphous polymers on the mesoscopic and nanoscopic levels. The D-450 epoxy resin, poly(vinyl chloride), poly(vinyl butyral), and a composite consisting of the D-450 epoxy resin and diabase microparticles are studied at a temperature of 290 K. The creep rate of the specimens under compression is measured with a laser interferometer in submicrometer-scale deformation increments. Periodic variations of the creep rate with time or under deformation correspond to a jumplike (stepwise) behavior of the creep. It is shown that diabase particles (5–10 μm in size) are responsible for the appearance of micrometer-scale jumps in the creep of the composite and that the deformation jumps on the nanometer level are comparable to the sizes of the globules. The role of the resolution of the method employed in the evaluation of the scale of deformation jumps and structural units is considered.     

Effect of the intermediate action of hydrostatic pressure on the high-temperature creep and durability of copper

The intermediate action of hydrostatic pressure on the high-temperature creep of copper is studied at various creep stages. Tests performed at a constant tensile stress of 12.5 MPa at 773 K show that the application of a pressure at the creep third stage decreases the steady-state creep rate and extends the time to failure. At the steady-state stage of creep, the effect of the pressure may be ignored. At pressures of up to 1 GPa, this effect is found to be only related to healing of grain-boundary porosity. At higher pressures, the steady-state creep rate is governed by porosity healing and structural changes.     

Electron paramagnetic resonance investigation of molecular bond rupture due to ozone in deformed rubber

Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) provides a sensitive tool by which microscopic bond rupture can be monitored simultaneously with observations of macroscopic deformation and failure. Past techniques for studying fracture in semicrystalline polymers have been extended to investigate degradation of unfilled ruber in the presence of ozone. It was found that the rate of free radical production was linearly proportional to stretch ratio and ozone concentration and that stress relaxation and creep were not directly proportional to this production rate. The latter behavior was attributed to the particular dependence of crack density and growth on stress. It was concluded that at low strains, comparatively few surface cracks form; however, at higher strains, many more crack centers become active. Although many more surface cracks are present, they do not progress into the material as rapidly. Therefore, although more bonds were broken at higher strains and stresses, the stress relaxation rate and creep rates were not significantly increased.     

New phenomena in high-temperature plasticity

A thorough understanding of recovery phenomena in high-temperature plasticity requires information on both creep (constant stress) and constant strain-rate deformation in the corresponding steady-state regimes. This is demonstrated for the diamond cubic structure elements Si and Ge, where dynamical recovery is characterized by two independent mechanisms, crossing in the range accessible to measurements, which have been identified to obey self-diffusion or cross-slip. In consequence, the stress-strain curves of single crystals show two recovery stages, while in steady-state creep only one (the second) recovery stage can be observed. From deformation experiments on fcc metals published in the literature it is concluded, that the stress-strain curves of at least Au and Al single crystals are also characterized by two recovery stages at high temperatures; it will be shown, however, that the situation is different from that of the semiconductors to some extent. Finally, some preliminary comments concerning dynamical recovery of hexagonal metals are given.     

Step deformation of solid amorphous polymers

The variation of step deformation kinetics in solids is studied as a function of morphological factors. Oscillations of creep rate at micrometer increments of the amount of deformation, which reflect the step nature of the process, are investigated from an interferogram. It is shown that the plasticization of polymethyl methacrylate by dibutyl phthalate blurs the steps, while their height varies insignificantly. The results are explained using the concept of the netlike structure of amorphous polymers. The data obtained confirm the universal nature of jumps as a mode of evolution of deformation in various solids. The jumps reflect the cooperative nature of motion of kinetic units, and the regular variation of the characteristics of the jumps lends support to the definition of creep as a process of structural self-organization.     

原位自生20vol.％TiCP/LD7Al基复合材料蠕变的应力指数和门槛应力

在523 K,573 K和623 K恒应力压缩条件下研究了原位自生20vol%TiC_p/LD7Al基复合材料和LD7Al合金的高温蠕变行为.对蠕变速率与外加应力在双对数坐标中进行拟合,获得了复合材料和基体铝合金的应力指数;通过在幂率方程中引入有效应力（σ-σ₀）,对实验数据进行线性回归外推至零蠕变速率得到相应的门槛应力.实验结果显示,复合材料的应力指数和门槛应力均高于LD7Al合金.TiC颗粒的存在,明显改善了LD7Al合金的高温蠕变 关键词： p/LD7Al基复合材料')" href="#">TiC_p/LD7Al基复合材料 蠕变 应力指数 门槛应力     

Discontinuous deformation and morphology of polymers

The morphological nature of discontinuous (jumplike) deformation is studied. Recording creep behavior of materials using a laser interferometer permits one to determine the parameters of deformation jumps on a micron scale. The objects of investigation were poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) and a composite material consisting of PDMS and quartz (SiO₂). It is shown that the height and sharpness of jumps depend on the composition of the material and the stage of deformation. An analysis of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) curves of the materials in the deformed and initial states suggests that deformation results in ordered domains in rubberlike polymers. This confirms the assumption that deformation jumps reflect the presence and the evolution of structural inhomogeneities in amorphous polymers.     

A crack layer approach to creep crack propagation in high-density polyethylene

Creep crack propagation in high-density polyethylene (HDPE) is observed to occur with an accompanying layer of damage ahead of the crack tip. The crack layer theory, which accounts for the presence of both the damage and the main crack, is applied to the problem. It is observed that the kinetic behavior of HDPE under creep consists of three regions: initial acceleration, constant crack speed, and reac-celeration to failure. Within the first two regions crack propagation appears “brittle,” while in the third region “ductile” behavior is manifested. Ultimate failure occurs via massive yielding of the unbroken ligament. The notion of critical crack length, well defined in many polymers, is shown     

Micro- and nanoscale instabilities of deformation in polymers

The rate and magnitude of the deformation in polymers under constant compressive stresses at room temperature have been measured. The use of laser interferometer has made it possible to perform measurements at small intervals of variations in the specimen length Δl = 0.325 μm, and the analysis of the form of beats has made it possible to estimate oscillations of the strain rate in nanoscale displacements. It has been shown that the average strain rate of polymers continuously varies and no creeping interval with a constant rate is observed. At all stages of smooth variations in the average rate, jumps of its current values corresponding to Δl from several nanometers to a hundred and more nanometers have been found. Changes in the structure with an increase in the deformation manifest themselves in an increase in the size of nanoscale jumps and in a complication of their shape.     

Regularities in the variation of the rate of stepped creep in polyethylene with different supermolecular structure

The study of stepped creep, previously discovered with micron-size deformation increments (ɛ) of polymers, in the form of a variation of the rate near the average value is continued. A scheme based on a laser interferometer was used to record the creep; this made it possible to perform precise measurements. Attention was focused on the degree of scatter of the rate h in the process of deformation of polyethylene fibers. It is shown that the creep rate of textured fibers is extremely nonuniform and pulsates continuously, forming beats of different periods, i.e., deformation jumps of different height. The ratio of h of the highest to the lowest rate for arbitrarily chosen small increments of the deformation has a maximum near the start of the “flow” stage and prior to fracture. The h-ɛ curve shifts along the deformation scale as the polymer structure changes, but the form of the curve and the overall level of h change very little. It is also established that the value of h for identical deformations is higher in more highly oriented polymers, and the value of h is higher in cross-linked structures than in unmodified structures. It is proposed that h reflects not only the deformation heterogeneity, but also influences crack formation during the creep process. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 39, 580–585 (March 1997)     

Improving Melt Flow Behavior via Melt Vibration

A self‐made melt vibration extrusion device was used to study the melt flow behavior in a vibration field. A pulse pressure was superimposed on the flowing melt during extrusion, called vibration assisted extrusion (VAE); conventional extrusion (CE) was studied for comparison. A die (L/D=17.5) was attached to the device to study melt flow behavior of an amorphous polymer (polystyrene) and semi‐crystalline polymers (high density and linear low polyethylene). Results show that the melt vibration technique is an effective processing tool to improve polymer melt flow behavior for both crystalline and amorphous polymers. Increasing with vibration frequency for extrusion at constant vibration pressure amplitude, the viscosity decreases sharply, and also with increasing vibration pressure amplitude at a constant vibration frequency. The effect of vibration field on melt flow behavior depends greatly on the melt temperature, with the largest change in viscosity obtained at low temperature. Increasing with vibration frequency at constant pressure vibration amplitude, the maximum decrease percentages of viscosities are 82.9, 66.7, and 48.9%, for HDPE, LLDPE, and PS, respectively; increasing with pressure vibration amplitude at a constant vibration frequency, the maximum decrease percentage of viscosities are 99.0, 94.3, and 99.0%, for HDPE, LLDPE, and PS, respectively.     

An Empirical Constitutive Correlation for Regular Jugged Discontinuity of Rock Surfaces

This paper presents a physical investigation and mathematical analysis on mechanical behavior of the regular jugged discontinuity. In particular, we focus on the creep property of structural plane with various slope angles under different normal stress through shear creep tests of structural plane under shear stresses. According to the test results, the shear creep property of structural plane was described and the creep velocity and long-term strength of the structural plane during shear creep were also investigated. An empirical formula is finally established to evaluate shear strength of discontinuity and a modified Burger model was proposed to represent the shear deformation property during creep.     

铁基块体非晶合金在纳米压痕过程中的蠕变行为研究

利用纳米压痕技术研究了{［（Fe_0.6Co_0.4）_0.75B_0.2Si_0.05］_0.96Nb_0.04}₉₆Cr₄铁基块体非晶合金的室温蠕变行为及不同的加载速率对该块体非晶合金蠕变变形的影响.{［（Fe_0.6Co_0.4）_0.75B_{0.2< 关键词： 块体非晶合金 蠕变 EVEV模型 蠕变速率敏感指数}     

Creep Behaviour of Fe-Mn Binary Alloys

Tensile creep behaviour of fine-grained Fe-Mn binary alloys containing 0.42-1.21 wt. % Mn has been investigated in the temperature range from room temperature to 475K under 10-50 MPa. Tensile tests are carried out with a constant cross-head speed under uniaxial load at a strain rate 10^-4s^-1. Stress exponent and activation energy are determined to clarify deformation mechanism. The obtained variation of steady state creep rate with respect to the applied stress for Fe-Mn binary alloys exhibits two distinct regimes at about 20 MPa, indicating a possible change in creep mechanism. The average stress exponent is approximately 2.2, which is a characteristic of grain boundary sliding in the alloys. The activation energy for plastic flow varies from 135 to 92k J/mol, depending on the Mn content.     

MICROMECHANICAL BEHAVIOR OF BRANCHED POLYSTYRENE AS REVEALED BY IN SITU TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY AND MICROHARDNESS*

The internal structure and failure of crazes in linear and long-chain branched poly(styrene) (PS) were investigated by means of in situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM). It was found that long-chain branched PS presents more finely fibrillated up to homogeneous crazes at room temperature instead of the typical fibrillated ones for linear PS. The failure of homogeneous crazes in long-chain branched PS indicates a more ductile behavior than the fibrillated ones. The microhardness of these materials was measured, and it was seen that the hardness value increased with increasing amount of long branches in the PS. In addition, the rate of creep under the indenter (creep constant) for these materials was investigated. The lowest value for the creep constant corresponded to the PS sample with the largest amount of long branches.