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The impact fracture behaviour of notched specimens of polycarbonate

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Abstract

The impact fracture behaviour of notched specimens of polycarbonate has been studied for a range of notch tip radii. For razor-notched specimens a simple fracture toughness analysis is appropriate, as shown by previous workers. Very blunt notches also give constant fracture toughness values, but at a much higher level, corresponding to a different mode of failure. For intermediate notch tip radii the situation is much more complex, and comparison of results for two molecular weight grades shows that the behaviour is molecular weight-dependent. Analysis of these results has been discussed either in terms of a combination of plane strain and plane stress fracture modes, or in terms of a critical stress at the root of the notch, which appears to be appropriate in certain cases.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK

    R. A. W. Fraser & I. M. Ward

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  1. R. A. W. Fraser
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  2. I. M. Ward
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Fraser, R.A.W., Ward, I.M. The impact fracture behaviour of notched specimens of polycarbonate. J Mater Sci 12, 459–468 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00540268

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00540268

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