Fracture toughening behavior and mechanical properties of polyphenylene oxide/high-impact polystyrene blends

Blends of a poly(phenylene oxide) (PPO) with high-impact polystyrene (HIPS) were injection molded. The static mechanical properties and fracture toughness of the blends were determined by means of the uniaxial tension, Brinell hardness and three-point-bending measurements. From the static mechanical test results, it was shown that the yield strength, Young's modulus and hardness values of the PPO/HIPS blends were considerably higher than those of their PPO and HIPS component polymers. Dynamic mechanical measurements indicated that the PPO/HIPS blends appear to be miscible as shown by the existence of a single glass transition temperature. Furthermore, the J integral method based on ASTM E813-89 procedure was used to characterize the fracture toughness of PPO/HIPS blends. The J integral analysis indicated that the PPO specimen exhibited the lowest fracture toughness (J_c). The PPO containing 50 wt% HIPS blend had the highest J_c. SEM observations revealed that the crack growth zone of the pure PPO is relatively smooth. However, cavitation of the elastomeric particles and shear band formation were observed in the deformed zones ahead of the crack tip of the PPO with 50 wt% HIPS blend. The cavitation and shear band formation would dissipate bulk strain energy and their formation was responsible for the highest J_c value observed in this blend.     

The mechanical responses of tilted and non-tilted grain boundaries in graphene

Various mechanical characteristics of tilted and non-tilted grain boundaries in graphene were investigated under tension and compression in directions perpendicular and parallel to the grain boundaries using molecular dynamics simulation. In contrast to the non-tilted grain boundary and the pristine graphene, the mechanical response of tilted grain boundary was observed to be quite unique under perpendicular tension, exhibiting distinct crack propagation prior to tensile failure and the subsequent pattern of incomplete fracture. These features are manifested as a remarkable decrease in the slope and a rugged pattern in the stress–strain curves. The characteristic of incomplete fracture was striking especially for large misorientation angles with formation of long monoatomic carbon chains, suggesting a methodology for feasible production of the monoatomic carbon chains that have been difficult to synthesize and extract. Under perpendicular compression, the folding of the sheet occurred consistently along grain boundaries during the entire process, indicating a tunable folding, while the folding line wandered extensively for pristine graphene. Under parallel compression, we found that folding along grain boundaries disturbed the bending of the graphene substantially for intrinsic reinforcement.     

Mechanical Properties of Textured Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+delta High-Temperature Superconductors

The mechanical properties of Bi₂Sr₂CaCu₂O_8+delta fibers produced via laser-induced directional solidification at different growth rates were determined through longitudinal and transverse tension tests, as well as flexure tests. In addition, polished sections of as-received fibers and the fracture surfaces of the broken samples were examined using scanning electron microscopy to elucidate the relationship between the microstructure and the mechanical properties. The fibers were anisotropic, and the transverse fiber strength was very low, because of early failure via cleavage of the grains perpendicular to the c -axis. The longitudinal strength and the degree of anisotropy increased as the fiber growth rate decreased, whereas the transverse strength followed the opposite trend. This behavior was due to changes in the porosity and the alignment of the crystals along the fiber axis.     

Mechanical Failure Characteristics of Ceramic Multilayer Capacitors

The results of both uniaxial and biaxial flexure as well as toughness testing on actual commercial ceramic capacitor samples are reported. Necessary procedural adjustments are outlined for miniaturizing the applied-moment double-cantilever-beam test to accommodate these small samples. Strength and toughness testing showed that the metal electrodes lowered the fracture toughness and that the metal-ceramic interface was a preferred fracture path for crack propagation parallel to the electrodes. However, toughness did not clearly depend on crack propagation parallel or perpendicular to the electrodes, nor with flexural strengths. Flexural strengths were 0 to 40% lower, with the electrodes perpendicular to the tensile surface vs. parallel to the tensile surface. Fractures initiated from machining (or impact) flaws, or voids of various sizes, shapes, and locations, thus explaining the poor correlation between strength and toughness. Biaxial flexure tests of dielectric specimens of various sizes indicate that such a test could be scaled down and "calibrated" for actual testing of capacitors; e.g., a decrease in strength with increasing specimen thickness to support diameter ratio is indicated.     

Spark Plasma Sintering of Magnesia-Doped Alumina with High Hardness and Fracture Toughness

The effect of grain size of magnesia and its content as well as spark plasma sintering conditions on the density, grain size, strength, hardness, and toughness of alumina was investigated. Spark plasma sintering conditions were optimized at 1150°C/5 min/175°C/min. Addition of 100 nm magnesia gave higher density levels (99.5%), while better strength (600 MPa), hardness (25 GPa), and fracture toughness (4.5 MPa·m^1/2) were obtained with 15 nm magnesia. The good strength and hardness is attributed to the submicrometer grain size of the matrix, and the improved toughness to the presence of Mg-rich nanoparticles and nanopores at grain boundaries.     

Relationship between axial compression strength and longitudinal microvoid size for PAN-based carbon fibers

Single fiber axial compression strength has been determined on a series of polyacrylonitrile-based carbon fibers using micro compression test at a gage length of about 10 μm and a detailed analysis has been made on the distribution and the fiber diameter dependence of the axial compression strength. The length of the unsupported region of carbon layer stack calculated from the axial compression strength was well comparable with the longitudinal length of the microvoids determined with small-angle X-ray scattering. This indicated that the fracture of carbon fibers is initiated from the buckling of the unsupported region of carbon layer stack which is formed where the microvoid adjoins it. The tensile and the axial compression strengths of the carbon fibers showed different relationships between the coefficient of variation and the average. This indicated that the tensile and the axial compression strengths are governed by different factors although they showed a correlation. Comparison has also been made between the longitudinal length of the microvoid and the microvoid sizes perpendicular to the fiber axis.     

Induced anisotropic permeability due to drying of concrete

Structural strength, porous space, and permeability of concrete are strongly affected by mechanical, hydrous, and thermal loading. These various loadings may lead to drying shrinkage, one of the main characteristics of this type of material, which has to be involved in the behaviour modelling and experimental investigations being the subjects of this paper. Experimental devices and principal parameters studied are first presented. Drying shrinkage and loss of mass in time were measured on prismatic samples while uniaxial compression tests were performed on cylindrical samples. Gas permeability tests, carried out on a concrete cylinder 30 mm in diameter, form the second part of this study. The samples used for these measurements were cored from each prismatic sample at the end of 10 months or 2 years of drying, either from the transverse direction of sample (privileged direction of drying) or from the longitudinal direction. Gas permeability procedure, using micropulse test technique, is described as well as the experimental process. Experimental results are finally commented on and discussed with a view on induced anisotropy due to desiccation. Such an anisotropy is clearly observable in permeability, which is also increasing with drying time.     

Size-induced room temperature softening of nanocrystalline yttria stabilized zirconia

Nanocrystalline oxides exhibit exceptional resistance to plastic deformation, manifesting increased strength and hardness with reduced grain size that qualitatively follows the so-called Hall-Petch relationships. However, below a critical grain size, softening has been observed to occur, in the so-called inverse Hall-Petch regime. The mechanisms underlying these phenomena are still not well understood in oxides. Here we observe, using nanopillar compression, that the yield strength initially increases with decreasing grain size for yttria-stabilized zirconia ceramics produced by high-pressure spark plasma sintering. A hardening-to-softening transition occurs at grain sizes below ≈21 nm. The experiments indicate that this transition depends on strain rate, and the onset of the decrease in yield strength occurs before any shear fracture begins. Nanopillar compression combined with in situ electron diffraction demonstrates the onset of softening coincides with an increase in the amount of crystallographic rotation per unit strain, suggesting a change in deformation mechanism.     

Effect of High-Temperature Treatment on the Mechanical Properties of Rowan (Sorbus aucuparia L.) Wood

Heat treatment is a wood modification method that has been used to some extent in improving timber quality. The high temperature thermal treatment of wood is an environmentally friendly method for wood preservation. This technique has attracted considerable attention both in Europe and in North America in recent years.

This article presents the results of experimental studies on influence of heat treatment on the mechanical properties of Rowan (Sorbus aucuparia L.) wood performed in order to understand its role in wood processing. Samples were exposed to temperature levels of 120, 150, and 180°C for time spans ranging from 2 to 10 h. Mechanical properties including compression strength, modulus of elasticity, modulus of rupture, Janka hardness, impact bending strength, tension strength perpendicular to grain, tension strength parallel to grain, shear strength, and cleavage strength of heat-treated samples were determined. Maximum reduction values of 34.12, 28.40, and 26.37% were found for impact bending strength, tension strength parallel to grain, and cleavage strength for the samples exposed to 180°C for 10 h, respectively. Overall, the results showed that treated samples had lower mechanical properties than those of the control samples. Statistically significant difference was determined (P = 0.05) between mechanical properties of the control samples and those treated at 180°C for 10 h.     

Bimodal grain structure effect on the static and dynamic mechanical properties of transparent polycrystalline magnesium aluminate (spinel)

Transparent polycrystalline magnesium aluminate (spinel) with bimodal and unimodal grain structures were prepared. The influence of grain size distribution on static and dynamic mechanical properties were systematically investigated. The results showed that bimodal grain structure spinel has larger flexural strength (236.31 MPa) compared to unimodal grain structure spinel (221.38 MPa). Whereas, their values of hardness are very similar (15.1 vs 14.7 GPa) and fracture toughness remains unchanged (1.1 MPa∙m^1/2 for both spinel). Although static compression strength of bimodal grain structure spinel (1236 MPa) is higher than that of unimodal one (1078 MPa) due to a smaller average grain size in the former, the negative effect of bimodal grain structure reduced the spinel strength compared to theoretically predicted value. Bimodal grain structure spinel shows slightly lower increment (49%) in compression strength from static to dynamic loading compared to that of unimodal one (57%) due to a decreased strain-rate sensitivity ascribed to bimodal grain structure. A brittle mode in inelastic deformation at Hugoniot elastic limit was demonstrated in both bimodal and unimodal grain structures. Bimodal grain structure has an influence on the Hall-Petch-like relation of yield strength under planar impact loading.     

Orientation effects on the deformation and fracture properties of high‐density polyethylene/ethylene vinyl acetate (HDPE/EVA) blends

In this paper, the tensile deformation and fracture toughness of high‐density polyethylene (HDPE)/ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) blends, obtained by dynamic packing injection moulding, have been comprehensively investigated in different directions of rectangle samples, including longitudinal, latitudinal and oblique directions relative to the flow direction. Two kinds of EVA were used with VA content 16 wt% (16EVA) and 33 wt% (33EVA) to control the interfacial interactions. The results indicate that molecular orientation and interfacial interaction play very important roles to determine the tensile behaviour and fracture toughness. Biaxial‐reinforcement of tensile strength was seen for HDPE/16EVA blends but only uniaxial‐reinforcement was observed for HDPE/33EVA blends. The difference is caused by the different interfacial interactions as highlighted by the peel test, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observation as well as theoretical evaluation. Very high impact strength, decreasing with increasing EVA content, was observed when the fracture propagation is perpendicular to the shear flow direction, while a low impact strength, increasing slightly increasing with EVA content, was seen when the fracture propagation is parallel to the shear flow. The fracture of oblique samples is always along the flow direction instead of along the impact direction or tensile direction. The tensile behaviour and fracture toughness are discussed on the basis of the formation of transcrystalline zones, orientation of EVA particles and matrix toughness of HDPE in different directions. Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry     

BaTiO3改性对碳/碳复合材料力学性能的影响

以聚丙烯腈(PAN)基碳纤维无纬布和短切网胎纤维交互叠层针刺,在预制体制备过程中掺杂0%、5%、15%、25%和35%五种不同质量分数的BaTiO₃,制备得到纵向纤维排布环形碳纤维预制体,通过化学气相沉积(CVD)和液相浸渍相结合的方法,制备得到BaTiO₃改性碳/碳复合材料。对该复合材料进行垂直和平行两个方向的力学性能测试,并且观察断口处的组织结构及其形貌特征。结果表明,引入纳米BaTiO₃后,加快了热解碳形核与生长的过程,改变了热解碳的组织结构,由单一的光滑层组织结构转变为光滑层和粗糙层两种组织结构。随着BaTiO₃含量的增加,复合材料的垂直压缩强度先基本不变后逐渐增大,平行压缩强度先增大后减小。复合材料的垂直压缩断裂方式均为脆性断裂,平行压缩断裂方式也均为脆性断裂同时呈现层间断裂的特征。     

Effect of microwave heating on compressive strength of beech wood (Fagus sylvatica L.) parallel to grain

This article deals with the changes of strength of beech wood (Fagus sylvatica L.) when compression load is applied parallel to grain and the wood is heated using microwave (MW) energy for a time period determined by two variants of drying. The elasticity modulus and compressive strength parallel to grain were measured using a universal testing machine in accordance with a relevant technical standard. Regression equations describing the dependence of compressive strength on wood density were determined for both variants of heating with a given load. Furthermore, a three-factor analysis of variance was performed to verify the significance of possible factors influencing changes of wood strength and elasticity. Possible hypotheses of changes caused by MW heating and the significance of discovered factors are also discussed. The results showed reduction of average values of wood compressive strength parallel to grain. The values were reduced by 35% in variant 1 and by 41% in variant 2 as opposed to wood to which no MW energy was applied. The difference in strength between the variants was nearly 9%.     

复合电沉积铜-石墨工艺的研究

在石墨粉经硝酸粗化、蒸馏水洗涤、烘干等处理,并均匀分散的电镀液中,进行复合电沉积,再经热处理、冷却制备铜一石墨复合材料.通过SEM、布氏硬度、电导率、拉伸及摩擦磨损性能的测试分析表明:在该工艺条件下制备的电沉积铜-石墨复合材料具有良好的导电性、自润滑性反摩擦磨损性能.     

The scratch test for strength and fracture toughness determination of oil well cements cured at high temperature and pressure

Recent advances in scratch test analysis provide new ways to relate measured scratch test properties not only to strength properties but fracture properties of materials as well. Herein, we present an application of such tools to oil well cements cured at high temperatures and pressures. We find a concurrent increase of strength and toughness of different oil well cement baseline formulations which we relate to the water-to-binder ratio for a series of cementitious materials prepared with cement and silica flour. The scratch test thus emerges as a self-consistent technique for both cohesive–frictional strength and fracture properties that is highly reproducible, almost non-destructive, and not more sophisticated than classical compression tests, which makes this ‘old’ test highly attractive for performance-based field applications.     

压力容器检验中硬度测定的应用

材料硬度值与其强度存在着一定的比例关系,对钢铁材料来说,其抗拉强度近似等于布氏硬度值的三倍;材料化学成分中,大多数合金元素都会使材料的硬度升高,其中碳对材料硬度的影响最直接,材料中的碳含量越大,其硬度越高,因此硬度试验有时用来判断材料强度等级或鉴别材质;一些压力容器通过硬度测定结合化学成分分析来确定材料强度,进行强度校核,可避免造成部分设备资源的浪费,同时确保设备的安全进行.     

High-Temperature Deformation of Alumina Double Bicrystals

Deformation and strength of alumina double bicrystals fabricated from verneuil-grown stock were studied as functions of temperature (1210° T 1820°C) and strain rate (0.0005 ε 0.05 min^-1). The oriented specimens had c axes parallel or perpendicular to the compressive stress axes; + a axes and c axes were matched and/or mismatched across the (1123) interfaces of the double bicrystals. Undoped ("pure") double bicrystals in which the c axes and stress axis were coincident deformed by rhombohedral twinning and, at T 1550°C, by slip. Double bicrystals containing crystal segments having c axes perpendicular to the stress axis deformed in part by basal kinking. Interfacial impurity additions of mullite or spinel thin films promoted grain-boundary fracture and sliding, whereas "pure" double bicrystals, even at stresses comparable to the ultimate strengths of single crystals in similar orientations, did not exhibit macrosliding of the grain boundary.     

Influence of Wood Grain Direction on Linear Welding

Wood grain orientation differences in the two surfaces to be bonded yield bondlines of different strengths in linear wood welding. End-grain-to-end-grain welds of good strength were obtained for both beech and oak woods. The tendency to defibration in end-grain-to-end-grain welding indicated that for wood densities higher than or equal to the density of beech wood, end-grain-to-end-grain welding is possible and yields sufficient joint strength. A higher density seemed to yield a stronger joint. Wood pieces having other grain directions were also vibration welded. These were: (1) with the grain perpendicular to the wood longitudinal grain direction, (2) with the grain of both wood pieces at 45° to the wood longitudinal grain direction and (3) with the grain of both wood pieces at 45° to the wood longitudinal grain direction but at 90° to each other to form a fishbone-like pattern. The first of these yielded results comparable to end-grain-to-end-grain welding. The other two yielded much lower strength of the joints, indicating that fibre orientation in the interphase composite formed during welding had considerable influence on joint strength. These differences in joint strength have been explained by the very marked effect that anisotropy of the interphase composite has on fibre/matrix composites.     

Fracture Properties of Polycrystalline Lithia-Stabilized β"- Alumina

The critical stress-intensity factor, K_1C , and the fracture strength, σ _f , have been investigated on both hot-pressed and sintered lithia-stabilized β "-alumina. The hot-pressed material possessed a strong preferred orientation with many of the basal planes aligned perpendicular to the direction of hot-pressing. Both K_1C and σ _f were found to be orientation-dependent. Two regimes of fracture were identified. In fine-grained material (<120 μm), the strength was slightly dependent on grain size.
For larger grain sizes, the strength decreased rapidly with increasing grain size and the fracture mode was almost entirely transgranular. The K_1C values for sintered β "-alumina were in the same range as those obtained on the hot-pressed material.     

Mechanische Eigenschaften zyklisch be‐ und entfeuchteter Zeolithgranulate

The production of zeolite granules varies in the amounts of binder content and different drying/activation temperatures. Here, the influence of moisture content and cyclic moisture loading and unloading on the mechanical properties like the strength of three different types of zeolite granules has been studied by uniaxial compression tests. The force‐displacement curves and scanning electron microscopy pictures of the granule and fracture surfaces show that with increasing number of moistening‐drying cycles, a continuous decrease in the strength of granules take place due to non‐regenerative damage of the structure.