Effect of Notch-Tip Radius on Dynamic Brittle Fracture of Polycarbonate

摘要

Polycarbonate (PC), which is considered to be a ductile amorphous polymer, is prone to brittle fracture in the presence of sharp notches. In the present work, effect of notch-tip radius on brittle fracture of PC is studied under static and under dynamic loading (high loading rates) conditions. Towards this end, a hybrid experimental and numerical approach is adopted. Dynamic fracture experiments using Hopkinson bar setup are performed on single-edge notched specimen of PC having different notch-tip radii. Ultra-high speed imaging is used for real-time observation of the fracture process. Finite element simulations are simultaneously performed using a well calibrated elastic-viscoplastic constitutive model for polymers. In the presence of a notch, brittle fracture in PC starts with a defect nucleation ahead of it. For each notch-tip radii, we are experimentally able to capture the process of defect initiation and quantify the mean stress required, static as well as dynamic loading. We found that the mean stress required for defect nucleation increases with decreasing notch-tip radius due to increased triaxility at the notch-tip. Defect initiation stresses are also higher for dynamic conditions compared to static loading. Defect initiation toughness for dynamic loading is always higher than those for static loading, but reduction in defect initiation toughness with decreasing notch-tip is severe for dynamic loading.