LECTURE #30 :

3.11 MECHANICS OF
MATERIALS F03
INSTRUCTOR : Professor Christine Ortiz
OFFICE : 13-4022 PHONE : 452-3084
WWW : http://web.mit.edu/cortiz/www

PLASTICITY OF POLYMERS II
 SUMMARY : LAST LECTURE
I. Molecular Origins of Plasticity in Metals
edge and screw dislocations, 2-D and 3-D movement of dislocations, slip systems,
planes, directions, polycrystalline plastic deformation
II. Stress versus Strain Curves for Polymers in Uniaxial Tension
structure of semicrystalline polymers: amorphous+cystalline regions, chain folding,
lamellar, spherulites (macroscopically isotropic)

highly oriented
VIII. polymer fiber

max
II.
VII. amorphous,
glassy polymer
(T<Tg)
Y
III.
semicrystalline

IV. V.
VI.
polymer
T>Tg

elastomer (T>Tg)

I.

Lo
f
Semicrystalline polymers (T>Tg):
. linear elastic deformation
II. homogeneous plastic deformation,
strain hardening
III. NECK forms and grows unstably, i.e. Polyethylene :
inhomogeneous plastic deformation used in milk jugs, toys, pens,
IV. neck stabilizes ice trays
V. COLD DRAWING, neck increases Nylon (polyamide)
in length by extracting polymer from
unnecked region of sample MACROSCOPIC
VI. entire sample is drawn
VII. begin stretching of completely drawn MECHANICAL
sample, strain hardening BEHAVIOR
VIII. fracture
 Plastic Deformation of Semicrystalline Polymers
,
crystalline lamellae
amorphous region

Stages and Mechanisms of Plastic Deformation

1) elongation of amorphous chains (uncoiling along stress axis)
2) rotation/tilting of lamellae crystallites toward tensile axis
3) separation of crystallites into block segments (partial melting)
4) further stretching of crystallites and orientation of amorphous regions
along tensile axis, void formation, stress whitening
5)2nd strain hardening regim:
recrystallization to a fiber like oriented structure, high stiffness
Comparison of Amorphous and
Semicrystalline Polymers
Some Applications of Amorphous
Polymers
Plastic Deformation of Amorphous, Glassy
Polymers or Networks (T < Tg)

 Crazing in Amorphous, Glassy Polymers (T<Tg)

, ,
 Crazing in Amorphous, Glassy Polymers (T<Tg)
polycarbonate craze

bulk bulk

, ,

craze-bulk
interface

main fibril
cross-tie fibril
CRAZE
NANO
STRUCTURE
fibril

oriented polymer entanglement

chains
Crazing in Amorphous, Glassy Polymers (T<Tg)

, ,
Shear DZs in Amorphous, Glassy Polymers (T<Tg)

Macroscopic sample

~ necking

, ,

Microscopic structure
 CRAZING OR SHEAR DZs?

,
, , ,
CONSEQUENCES FOR IMPACT RESISTANCE

bisphenol-A
polycarbonate
(crazing)
Plastic Deformation and Fracture of
Amorphous Components
Plastic Deformation and Fracture of
Amorphous Components
TOUGHENING OF AMORPHOUS POLYMERS
TOUGHENING OF AMORPHOUS POLYMERS

Typical uniaxial tensile stress-strain behavior of

polystyrene (PS), medium-impact PS (MIPS), high-
impact PS (HIPS), and poly(acrylonitrile-co-styrene-
graft-butadiene) ABS.