ISSN:
0098-1273
Keywords:
Physics
;
Polymer and Materials Science
Source:
Wiley InterScience Backfile Collection 1832-2000
Topics:
Chemistry and Pharmacology
,
Physics
Notes:
The kinetics of craze initiation has been investigated for unmodified and rubber-modified polystyrenes in n-alcohols. The dependence on time and temperature of the critical strain at which crazes could be detected visually was determined with a Bergen elliptical strain device. Sorption studies were also conducted at room temperature on films exposed to the saturated vapor of n-alcohol. The analysis of crazing data in terms of the Eyring model gave activation energies from 9.4 to 17.4 kcal/mole, increasing with increasing chain length of n-alcohol and increasing rubber content. The activation volume multiplied by a stress concentration factor decreased with increasing rubber content and was nearly independent of the chain length of the n-alcohol. The larger the diffusion coefficient, which we measured by sorption experiments, the smaller was the activation energy for craze initiation. The values of diffusion coefficients, estimated from the experimental data on craze initiation, were found to be comparable with those from the sorption experiments. It was concluded that the rate of craze initiation on exposure to liquids is controlled by the diffusion of the molecules of liquid into polymer.
Additional Material:
5 Ill.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/pol.1979.180170505
