Analysis of fracture toughness and behavior of high density polyethylene.

摘要

The fracture toughness and behavior of six types of high density polyethylene (HDPE) were investigated using the essential work of fracture (EWF) concept and its variation. The fracture toughness investigated here includes the plane stress and plane strain mode. Comparison between the fracture toughness of the six resins was then explained using their molecular characteristics.;It was found that the conventional EWF method was not sufficient in characterizing the plane stress and plane strain fracture toughness of HDPE, and the modification of the method was required before its application. The relation between the fracture toughness and the molecular characteristics of HDPE was found to be a complex one, and general trends observed in the literature do not always hold. Previous discovery and assumption of constant crack growth rate and zero transverse strain were not observed to be true in this study.