Subject Code:CH301 Course Title: Polymer Materials

Unit-5, Lecture-25

Mechanical properties of polymers strength (creep, fatigue, stress relaxation

tensile, flexural and compressive), hardness, resilience, impact properties, factors
affecting these properties, methods of determination of these properties.
Electrical and Optical properties of polymers

✓ Plastic Materials/ J A Brydson/ Butterworth-Heinemann

✓ Handbook of Plastics Testing and Failure Analysis/ Vishu Shah/ John Wiley & Sons
 Flexural Properties (ASTM D790, ISO 178)
Flexural strength is the ability of the material to withstand bending forces applied
perpendicular to its longitudinal axis

The stresses induced by the flexural load are the

combination of compressive and tensile stresses.

Flexural properties reported in terms of stress and

strain that occurs at outside surface of the test bar
 Flexural Properties

Maximum fiber stress F= force

L= Length of span
𝟑𝑭𝑳 b= width of specimen
𝝈= d= thickness of specimen
𝟐𝒃𝒅
The maximum strain in outer fiber is calculated
𝟔𝜹𝒅
r= = deflection
𝑳𝟐
 Flexural Properties
Many polymers do not break under flexure even after a
large deflection
Common practice to report flexural yield strength when the maximum strain in the outer
fiber of the specimen has reached 5%

Advantages of Flexural test over tensile test

1. Flexural specimen is comparative easy to prepare without residual strain

2. Tight clamping of specimen creates stress concentration points

3. At small strains, the actual deformation are sufficient large to be measured accurately
 Flexural Properties of Polymers
Polymer Flexural strength Flexural modulus
(MPa) (MPa)
ABS 75 2.5
Acetal Copolymer 85 2.5
Acrylic 100 3
Nylon 6 85 2.3
Polyamide-Imide 175 5
Polycarbonate 90 2.3
Polyethylene, MDPE 40 0.7
Polyethylene
80 1
Terephthalate (PET)
Polyimide 140 3
Polypropylene 40 1.5
 Compressive properties ASTM D 695, ISO 75-1 &75-2

Describe the behavior of a material when it is subjected

to compressive load at a relatively low and uniform rate
of loading
Most plastics that do not rupture can have their
results reported as the compressive strength at a
specific deformation such as 1%, 5%, or 10% of the
test sample's original height.
 Compressive properties of polymers
Polymer Compressive yield Compressive modulus
strength (MPa) (Gpa)
ABS 65 65
Acetal Copolymer 85 85
Acrylic 95 95
Nylon 6 55 55
Polyamide-Imide 130 130
Polycarbonate 70 70
Polyethylene, HDPE 20 20
Polyethylene Terephthalate 80 80
(PET)
Polyimide 150 150
Polypropylene 40 40
Polystyrene 70 70
Strength properties of Polymer
 Fatigue Resistance
Fatigue: the behavior of materials subjected to repeated cyclic loading in terms of flexing,
stretching, compressing or twisting

Repeated cyclic loading constitutes a mechanical deterioration and progressive fracture

that leads to complete failure.
Applications: Gears, hinges, parts of vibrating machinery, pressure vessel under cyclic
pressures

Fatigue Life
Defined as the number of cycles of deformation required to bring about the failure of the
test specimen under given set of oscillating conditions.

The failure that occur from repeated application of stress or strain are well below the
apparent ultimate strength of the material
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Vgsa04TGg0
 Fatigue data Fatigue Resistance
Reported number of cycles to fail at a given
maximum stress level.
Fatigue endurance curve or S-N Curve

Represents stress verse number of cycles to

failure : generated by testing a multitude of
specimens under cyclic stress, each one at
different stress level
Fatigue endurance limit

Stress at which the S-N curve becomes

asymptotic to the horizontal line

This limiting stress : below which material

will never fail
 Fatigue Resistance
Fatigue endurance limit is between 25 to 30% of the static tensile strength
 Fatigue Resistance
Effect of temperature
 Hardness
Defined as the resistance of a material to deformation, indentation or scratching

Hardness Measurement

Rockwell Hardness Durometer Hardness

(ASTM D785) (ASTM D 2240)
Used for hard material such as acetals, Used for softer materials such as
nylons, acrylics and polystyrenes flexible PVC, elastomers, polyethylene
 Rockwell Hardness
Measure the net increase in depth impression as
the load on an indenter is increased from a fixed
minor load to a major load and then returned to
a minor load.

Measure hardness number (unitless): hardness scale in order of increasing number

R, L, M, E and K
https://sm-nitk.vlabs.ac.in/exp20/index.html#
Durometer Hardness
Hardness
Hardness
Shore Hardness Scale