Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Environmental stress cracking of glassy polymers and solubility parameters

  • Published:
Journal of Materials Science Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The use of solubility parameters to predict critical stress (σ *c ) or strains (ɛc) for environmental cracking/crazing in several glassy polymers (e.g. PMMA, PPO, PS, PVC, PSF and PC) is re-examined. It is shown that the enthalpic component (χ H ) of the Flory-Huggins semi-interaction parameter (χ) does not always give a good correlation between ɛc and χ H even though solvent molar volume and polymer-solvent molecular interactions have already been considered. Re-analysis of available experimental data using Gent's theory shows that there is a general trend for σ *c (or ɛc) to increase with χ. These results, therefore, support Gent's proposed mechanism of environmental stress crazing/cracking. It is finally concluded that unless a definite relationship can be established between ɛc or σ *c with χ H it is not possible to predicta priori ɛc or σ *c , given the empirical solubility parameters of a solvent. Unfortunately, there are not many such relationships as discovered in this paper.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. R. P. Kambour,Macromol. Rev. 7 (1973) 1.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Y. W. Mai,J. Mater. Sci. 10 (1975) 943.

    Google Scholar 

  3. A. N. Gent,ibid. 5 (1970) 925.

    Google Scholar 

  4. E. H. Andrews, G. M. Levy andJ. Willis,ibid. 8 (1973) 1000.

    Google Scholar 

  5. G. A. Bernier andR. P. Kambour,Macromolecules 1 (1968) 393.

    Google Scholar 

  6. R. P. Kampour, E. E. Romagosa andC. L. Gauner,ibid. 5 (1972) 335.

    Google Scholar 

  7. R. P. Kambour, C. L. Gauner andE. E. Romagosa,J. Polym. Sci., Polym. Phys. Ed. 11 (1973) 1879.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Idem, Macromolecules 7 (1974) 248.

    Google Scholar 

  9. C. H. M. Jacques andM. G. Wyzgoski,J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 23 (1979) 1153.

    Google Scholar 

  10. P. I. Vincent andS. Raha,Polymer 13 (1972) 283.

    Google Scholar 

  11. L. F. Henry,Polym. Eng. Sci. 14 (1974) 167.

    Google Scholar 

  12. N. B. Leete, BE Thesis, University of Sydney (1978).

  13. A. M. Barton,Chem. Rev. 75 (1975) 731.

    Google Scholar 

  14. P. J. Flory,J. Chem. Phys. 9 (1941) 660.

    Google Scholar 

  15. M. L. Huggins,ibid. 9 (1941) 440.

    Google Scholar 

  16. P. A. Small,J. Appl. Chem. 3 (1953) 71.

    Google Scholar 

  17. R. F. Blanks andJ. M. Prausnitz,Ind. Eng. Chem. Fund. 3 (1964) 1.

    Google Scholar 

  18. C. M. Hansen andK. Skaarup,J. Paint Technol. 39 (1964) 511.

    Google Scholar 

  19. M. T. Shaw,J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 18 (1974) 449.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Sydney, 2006, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

    Y. -W. Mai

Authors
  1. Y. -W. Mai
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Mai, Y.W. Environmental stress cracking of glassy polymers and solubility parameters. J Mater Sci 21, 904–916 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01117371

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01117371

Keywords

Search

Navigation