The effect of hygrothermal conditions on the fracture toughness of epoxy/poly (styrene-co-allylalcohol) blends

摘要

The influence of water content on the fracture toughness of epoxy/poly(styrene-co-allylalcohol) (PScoPA) blends with different amounts of modifier has been investigated. The water ingress has a double consequence: a considerable plasticization effect of the matrix and a significant weakening of the interphase between the matrix and the thermoplastic particles. The addition of thermoplastic modifier reduces, in the aged samples, the deterioration in fracture toughness. Analytical models, based on plastic voids growth around the dispersed phase particles, have been applied with reasonable agreement.