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Fatigue crack propagation in polyacetal

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Abstract

The fatigue crack propagation characteristics of a typical commercial homopolymer and copolymer polyacetal were determined. These materials were found to be the most fatigue resistant plastics examined to date, thus confirming the generally high fatigue resistance of all crystalline polymers. A discontinuous fatigue cracking process was identified at all test frequencies in the acetal copolymer and at high frequencies in the homopolymer, while continuous crack propagation occurred at low test frequencies in the homopolymer. The discrete advance increments of the crack in the discontinuous mode were equal to the dimension of the prevailing crack-tip plastic zone. On a more local scale, the crack path is seen to be mainly trans-spherulitic in nature.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Metallurgy and Materials Science, Lehigh University, 18015, Bethlehem, Pa, USA

    R. W. Hertzberg, M. D. Skibo & J. A. Manson

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  1. R. W. Hertzberg
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  2. M. D. Skibo
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  3. J. A. Manson
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Hertzberg, R.W., Skibo, M.D. & Manson, J.A. Fatigue crack propagation in polyacetal. J Mater Sci 13, 1038–1044 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00544699

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