Well-characterised polymers are only available in very small amounts, typically less than 1 gram. For this reason we have developed a miniaturised 3-point bending creep machine able to craze specimens weighing less than 10mg. Using this machine we investigated the effects of molecular length and of architecture on craze initiation in a very wide range of polystyrenes in the presence of the organic solvent diethylene glycol.
It was found that the behaviour was strongly dependent on molecular length for short molecules, and independent of lenght for long molecules. A theory connecting not only molecular length, but also time, temperature and surface finish, has been put forward to account for this behaviour.
Carry on to Extension to semicrystalline polymers, or go back to Glassy Polymers.
Relevant publications in the area of crazing.
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