Microstructural details and the effect of testing conditions on the fracture toughness of injection-moulded poly(phenylene-sulphide) composites

Abstract

This paper deals with the microstructure-property relationships of particle toughened poly (phenylene-sulphide) (PPS) and of two short glass and carbon fibre reinforced PPS versions. The microstructural characterization of injection-moulded plaques was performed by the use of differential scanning calorimetry and scanning electron microscopy. Studies of the materials' fracture toughness using compact tension specimens, revealed a clear influence of the type of fibre reinforcement and of the external testing conditions, i.e. temperature,T, and loading rate,v. Failure mechanisms of the composite materials were analysed by fractographic studies in the SEM. The final presentation of the results was performed in terms of failure maps and fracture toughness-elastic modulus maps. The latter can be used by engineers or designers for a systematic material evaluation with respect to a certain property profile at defined external service conditions ofT andv.