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Failure of amorphous polystyrene

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Abstract

The failure behaviour of amorphous polystyrene was studied in methanol and ambient air under constant load and strain rate conditions. The good correlation found between fracture mechanics theory and the test results of both crazing and fracture indicates that fracture mechanics theory can be used in predicting failure of amorphous polystyrene. From the fracture mechanics analysis of the results it is inferred that the kinetics associated with craze initiation and crack propagation are similar and that the inherent flaw responsible for failure first initiates the craze in which a crack is then formed. Both the distribution of inherent flaws and the kinetics of crazing and fracture are dependent on the test environment.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Mechanical Engineering Department, University of Massachusetts, 01003, Amherst, MA, USA

    J. E. Ritter Jr, J. M. Stevens & Karl Jakus

Authors
  1. J. E. Ritter Jr
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  2. J. M. Stevens
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  3. Karl Jakus
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Ritter, J.E., Stevens, J.M. & Jakus, K. Failure of amorphous polystyrene. J Mater Sci 14, 2446–2452 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00737035

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00737035

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