The effects of particle bulk modulus on toughening mechanisms in rubber-modified polymers

Xiao Hong Chen, Yiu Wing Mai

Research output: Journal article publicationJournal articleAcademic researchpeer-review

14 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The interaction of a blunting mode I plane-strain crack tip with a periodic array of initially spherical rubber particles directly ahead of and parallel to the crack front in the effective medium is studied by the crack tip-particle interaction model. The local stress concentrations responsible for rubber cavitation, matrix crazing and shear yielding are obtained by three-dimensional large deformation elastic-plastic finite element analysis with a sub-modeling technique to explore the relationship between these toughening mechanisms. It is shown that rubber particles can act as stress concentrators to initiate matrix crazing or shear yielding but they behave differently from voids at high triaxiality because of their high bulk modulus. Particle bulk modulus affects significantly the hydrostatic stress inside rubber particles as well as the plastic deformation in the ligament between the crack tip and particles. Rubber cavitation or interface debonding relieves the triaxial stress plane-strain condition so that extensive plastic deformation can be developed in the toughening process.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1763-1769
Number of pages7
JournalPolymer Engineering and Science
Volume38
Issue number10
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1998
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Chemistry
  • Polymers and Plastics
  • Materials Chemistry

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