PREDICTION OF MECHANICAL BEHAVIOR OF PLASTICS UNDERGOING DECOMPOSITION FROM THE COMBINED EFFECTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURE AND STRESS.
Abstract
A study was made to determine if the behavior of plastics undergoing breakdown from the effects of stress, elevated temperatures, and chemical attack could be predicted by means of a mechanical-chemical equation of state. Five systems were studied, the first four of which were tested for retention of strength at room temperature after environmental exposure: (a) Glass-reinforced polyester laminate exposed to an alkaline medium at elevated temperatures; (b) cellulose laminate exposed to elevated temperatures, resulting in oxidative degradation; (c) paper-phenolic laminate exposed to elevated temperatures, resulting in further cross-linking followed by oxidative degradation; (d) heat-resistant glass fiber polyester resin laminate exposed to very high degradative temperatures; and (e) same material and treatment as (d) except that the specimens were under stress during the exposure (stress-rupture). It is concluded that the effects of the various environments on the mechanical properties of the plastics under study can be predicted accurately by use of a parameter of the equation of state representing a second-order chemical reaction. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 01, 1966
- Accession Number
- AD0631001
Entities
People
- S. Goldfein
Organizations
- United States Army Engineer Research and Development Laboratory