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Polymers
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Mechanical Properties of Polymers
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Mechanical Properties of Polymers

A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Polymer Analysis and Characterization".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 November 2022) | Viewed by 17129

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Shih-Jung Liu

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Guest Editor
Mechanical Engineering, Chang Gung University Adjunct Professor, Orthopedic Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital Tao-Yuan, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan
Interests: bioabsorbable medical devices; drug delivery; tissue engineering; nanofibers; core-shell microspheres
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Hiroshi Ito

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Polymer Precision Processing Lab./Ito Lab., Yamagata University, Yamagata 9928510, Japan
Interests: polymer processing; fibers and films; polymer composites; structure and physical properties of polymers; micro and nanofabrication
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The mechanical properties of polymers and polymer composites are one of the features that distinguishes them from small molecules. When a material is used as a structural material, it is important that it be capable of withstanding applied stresses and resultant strains over its useful service life. Polymers are viscoelastic materials, having the properties of solids and viscous liquids, which are time- and temperature-dependent. Various parameters can affect the mechanical properties of polymers, including molecular weight, processing condition, extent and distribution of crystallinity, composition of polymer, and application temperature. Meanwhile, the mechanical strengths of polymer composites can be altered by varying the volume fraction, geometry, and dimension of the fillers. This Special Issue aims at highlighting the mechanical deformation, damage and failure of polymer and polymer composites under applied forces. Reports of fundamental scientific investigations are welcome, so are articles correlated to the practical applications of polymeric materials and composites in engineering or biomedicine. Both experimental and theoretical work is of interest, and theoretical papers will generally include comparison of predictions with experimental data.

Prof. Dr. Shih-Jung Liu
Prof. Dr. Hiroshi Ito 
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Polymers is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • polymers
  • polymer composites
  • mechanical deformation
  • stress and strain
  • damage mechanism
  • engineering or biomedical applications
  • experimental and theoretical work

Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 3208 KiB  
Article
Superhydrophobic Modification of Sansevieria trifasciata Natural Fibres: A Promising Reinforcement for Wood Plastic Composites
by Yanzur Mohd Aref, Rizafizah Othaman, Farah Hannan Anuar, Ku Zarina Ku Ahmad and Azizah Baharum
Polymers 2023, 15(3), 594; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15030594 - 24 Jan 2023
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1864
Abstract
Sansevieria trifasciata fibre (STF) is a lignocellulosic material which could be utilised for reinforcement composites. Surface modification is often needed to improve the compatibility of hydrophilic STF and hydrophobic resin. In this study, treatments for natural fibres to attain superhydrophobic properties were carried [...] Read more.
Sansevieria trifasciata fibre (STF) is a lignocellulosic material which could be utilised for reinforcement composites. Surface modification is often needed to improve the compatibility of hydrophilic STF and hydrophobic resin. In this study, treatments for natural fibres to attain superhydrophobic properties were carried out using silica nanoparticles and fluorosilane. Sansevieria trifasciata fibres (STF) were subjected to treatment by deposition of silica (SiO2) nanoparticles which were prepared by the sol-gel method, then followed by modification with fluorosilane, namely 1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-perfluorooctyltriethoxysilane (PFOTS). The presence of SiO2 nanoparticles and PFOTS were evaluated using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX). The crystallisation properties and thermal behaviour of STF were studied through X-ray diffraction (XRD) and thermogravimetric (TGA) analysis, respectively. The hydrophobicity of STF was determined by water contact angle (WCA) measurement. The results show that nanoscale SiO2 particles were deposited on the STF surface, and PFOTS were covalently linked to them. The SiO2 nanoparticles provide surface roughness to the fibres, whereas the long-chain fluorine on PFOTS lowered the surface free energy, and their combination in these treatments has successfully modified the STF surface from hydrophilic into superhydrophobic with a WCA of 150° and sliding angle of less than 10°. Altogether, a non-toxic, simple, and promising method of imparting hydrophobicity on natural fibres was developed, opening new opportunities for these fibres as reinforcement for composite parts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mechanical Properties of Polymers)
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15 pages, 15067 KiB  
Article
Effect of Surface Treatment on Stiffness and Damping Behavior of Metal-Metal and Composite-Metal Adhesive Joints
by Adeela Nasreen, Muhammad Kashif Bangash, Khubab Shaker and Yasir Nawab
Polymers 2023, 15(2), 435; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15020435 - 13 Jan 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1851
Abstract
In aerospace and automotive applications, composite materials are used as a major structural material along with metals. Composite-metal and metal-metal joining are very crucial in such structures. Adhesive bonding is commonly used for this purpose. Since such structures are exposed to varying temperatures [...] Read more.
In aerospace and automotive applications, composite materials are used as a major structural material along with metals. Composite-metal and metal-metal joining are very crucial in such structures. Adhesive bonding is commonly used for this purpose. Since such structures are exposed to varying temperatures and dynamic loads, it is essential to investigate the response of such joints under thermomechanical loading. Though various studies have been reported in the literature to assess the thermomechanical properties of composites, adhesives, and their joints, the effect of the surface treatment of metals and composites on the improvement in the thermomechanical behavior of the joints has not been reported. The metal and composite surfaces were modified using chemical etching techniques. The interaction between adhesives and adherends was studied using the DTMA technique in compression mode. Anodizing treatment on aluminum alloys improved the stiffness properties of metallic joints to 36% and decreased the damping to 23%, while chemical treatment on composite and metal adherends increased the stiffness of composite-metal joints to 34% and reduced the energy dissipation to 20%. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mechanical Properties of Polymers)
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24 pages, 8485 KiB  
Article
Blending of Low-Density Polyethylene and Poly(Butylene Succinate) (LDPE/PBS) with Polyethylene–Graft–Maleic Anhydride (PE–g–MA) as a Compatibilizer on the Phase Morphology, Mechanical and Thermal Properties
by Aina Aqila Arman Alim, Azizah Baharum, Siti Salwa Mohammad Shirajuddin and Farah Hannan Anuar
Polymers 2023, 15(2), 261; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15020261 - 04 Jan 2023
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2810
Abstract
It is of significant concern that the buildup of non-biodegradable plastic waste in the environment may result in long-term issues with the environment, the economy and waste management. In this study, low-density polyethylene (LDPE) was compounded with different contents of poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) [...] Read more.
It is of significant concern that the buildup of non-biodegradable plastic waste in the environment may result in long-term issues with the environment, the economy and waste management. In this study, low-density polyethylene (LDPE) was compounded with different contents of poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) at 10–50 wt.%, to evaluate the potential of replacing commercial plastics with a biodegradable renewable polymer, PBS for packaging applications. The morphological, mechanical and thermal properties of the LDPE/PBS blends were examined in relation to the effect of polyethylene–graft–maleic anhydride (PE–g–MA) as a compatibilizer. LDPE/PBS/PE–g–MA blends were fabricated via the melt blending method using an internal mixer and then were compression molded into test samples. The presence of LDPE, PBS and PE–g–MA individually in the matrix for each blend presented physical interaction between the constituents, as shown by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The morphology of LDPE/PBS/PE–g–MA blends showed improved compatibility and homogeneity between the LDPE matrix and PBS phase. Compatibilized LDPE/PBS blends showed an improvement in the tensile strength, with 5 phr of compatibilizer providing the optimal content. The thermal stability of LDPE/PBS blends decreased with higher PBS content and the thermal stability of compatibilized blends was higher in contrast to the uncompatibilized blends. Therefore, our research demonstrated that the partial substitution of LDPE with a biodegradable PBS and the incorporation of the PE–g–MA compatibilizer could develop an innovative blend with improved structural, mechanical and thermal properties. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mechanical Properties of Polymers)
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15 pages, 3689 KiB  
Article
Effect of Water-Induced and Physical Aging on Mechanical Properties of 3D Printed Elastomeric Polyurethane
by David Schwarz, Marek Pagáč, Josef Petruš and Stanislav Polzer
Polymers 2022, 14(24), 5496; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14245496 - 15 Dec 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1395
Abstract
In this study, the effect of moisture on the elastic and failure properties of elastomeric polyurethane (EPU 40) 3D printed via Vat Photopolymerization was investigated. EPU 40 samples were printed, and uniaxial tensile tests were performed on Dry-fresh, Dry-aged (eight months aged), and [...] Read more.
In this study, the effect of moisture on the elastic and failure properties of elastomeric polyurethane (EPU 40) 3D printed via Vat Photopolymerization was investigated. EPU 40 samples were printed, and uniaxial tensile tests were performed on Dry-fresh, Dry-aged (eight months aged), and after various times of being immersed in water (0–8 months). Elastic response, initial stiffness, failure strength, and failure elongation were analyzed. Besides, gravimetric analysis was performed to determine the increase in weight and thickness after water immersion. The elastic response was fitted by the Arruda-Boyce constitutive model. Results show that initial stiffness decreased after immersion (mean 6.8 MPa dry vs. 6.3 MPa immersed p-value 0.002). Contrary, the initial stiffness increased due to physical aging under a dry state from a mean 6.3 MPa to 6.9 MPa (p = 0.006). The same effect was observed for stiffness parameter G of the constitutive model, while the limit stretch parameter λL was not affected by either aging. The 95% confidence intervals for strength and failure stretch were 5.27–9.48 MPa and 2.18–2.86, respectively, and were not affected either by immersion time or by physical aging. The median diffusion coefficient was 3.8·10−12 m^2/s. The immersion time has a significant effect only on stiffness, while oxidative aging has an inverse effect on the mechanical properties compared to water immersion. The transition process is completed within 24 h after immersion. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mechanical Properties of Polymers)
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16 pages, 6533 KiB  
Article
Structure and Properties of Epoxy Polysulfone Systems Modified with an Active Diluent
by Tuyara V. Petrova, Ilya V. Tretyakov, Alexey V. Kireynov, Alexey V. Shapagin, Nikita Yu. Budylin, Olga V. Alexeeva, Betal Z. Beshtoev, Vitaliy I. Solodilov, Gleb Yu. Yurkov and Alexander Al. Berlin
Polymers 2022, 14(23), 5320; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14235320 - 05 Dec 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1383
Abstract
An epoxy resin modified with polysulfone (PSU) and active diluent furfuryl glycidyl ether (FGE) was studied. Triethanolaminotitanate (TEAT) and iso-methyltetrahydrophthalic anhydride (iso-MTHPA) were used as curing agents. It is shown that during the curing of initially homogeneous mixtures, heterogeneous structures are formed. The [...] Read more.
An epoxy resin modified with polysulfone (PSU) and active diluent furfuryl glycidyl ether (FGE) was studied. Triethanolaminotitanate (TEAT) and iso-methyltetrahydrophthalic anhydride (iso-MTHPA) were used as curing agents. It is shown that during the curing of initially homogeneous mixtures, heterogeneous structures are formed. The type of these structures depends on the concentration of active diluent and the type of hardener. The physico-mechanical properties of the hybrid matrices are determined by the structure formed. The maximum resistance to a growing crack is provided by structures with a thermoplastic-enriched matrix-interpenetrating structures. The main mechanism for increasing the energy of crack propagation is associated with the implementation of microplasticity of extended phases enriched in polysulfone and their involvement in the fracture process. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mechanical Properties of Polymers)
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13 pages, 5359 KiB  
Article
The Structural Evolution and Mechanical Properties of Semi-Aromatic Polyamide 12T after Stretching
by Yuting Shang, Hongchuan Lou, Wei Zhao, Yuancheng Zhang, Zhe Cui, Peng Fu, Xinchang Pang, Xiaomeng Zhang and Minying Liu
Polymers 2022, 14(22), 4805; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14224805 - 08 Nov 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1467
Abstract
The development of semi-aromatic polyamides with excellent mechanical properties has always been a popular research avenue. In this work, the semi-aromatic polyamide 12T (PA12T) with the maximum tensile strength of 465.5 MPa was prepared after stretching at 210 °C 4.6 times. Wide-angle X-ray [...] Read more.
The development of semi-aromatic polyamides with excellent mechanical properties has always been a popular research avenue. In this work, the semi-aromatic polyamide 12T (PA12T) with the maximum tensile strength of 465.5 MPa was prepared after stretching at 210 °C 4.6 times. Wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) were used to characterize the structural evolution of semi-aromatic polyamide 12T (PA12T) after stretching at different stretching temperatures and stretching ratios. The formation mechanism of this change in mechanical properties was investigated from different aspects of the aggregated structure such as crystal morphology, crystal orientation and crystallinity. The relevant characterization results show that the crystal structure, crystal orientation and crystallinity of PA12T were the highest when the sample was pre-stretched at 210 °C, which is crucial for improving the mechanical properties of PA12T. These findings will provide important guidance for the preparation of polymer materials with excellent mechanical properties. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mechanical Properties of Polymers)
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22 pages, 11199 KiB  
Article
Temperature and Strain Rate Effects on the Uniaxial Tensile Behaviour of ETFE Foils
by Felix Surholt, Jörg Uhlemann and Natalie Stranghöner
Polymers 2022, 14(15), 3156; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14153156 - 02 Aug 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1600
Abstract
With the first use of ETFE foils in building structures in the 1980s at the Burgers’ Zoo in Arnhem, Netherlands, the implementation of ETFE foils in roof and façade systems in large-span structures has become steadily more prominent. To safely design ETFE foil [...] Read more.
With the first use of ETFE foils in building structures in the 1980s at the Burgers’ Zoo in Arnhem, Netherlands, the implementation of ETFE foils in roof and façade systems in large-span structures has become steadily more prominent. To safely design ETFE foil structures, their mechanical behaviour has to be fundamentally understood. Until now, several research studies have been published investigating this material’s behaviour. However, the parameters influencing these plastic’s mechanical behaviour, such as the strain rate or the test temperature, have only been investigated separately but not simultaneously. In this contribution, an analytical model is presented which describes the mechanical behaviour of ETFE foils under varying test temperatures and strain rates simultaneously. The material model has been checked against experimental results achieved for materials from three different international producers and two different commonly used foil thicknesses with significant differences in their mechanical responses (so that it can be assumed that the international market is represented). In the first step, uniaxial tensile tests on strip specimens were performed to describe the nonlinear and viscoelastic temperature- and strain rate-dependent material behaviour under uniaxial tension. The achieved stress-strain curves exhibited, as expected, the two commonly so-called yield points, which can be taken as separators for three different material stages: viscoelastic, viscoelastic-plastic, and viscoplastic. In the second step, by separating the uniaxial tensile response into these three stages, two interdependent functions could be derived based on the well-known Ramberg-Osgood material model to simulate the viscoelastic and viscoelastic-plastic material behaviour of ETFE foils. For this purpose, analytical functions were developed to calculate the model parameters considering the influence of the test temperature and the test speed. It can be shown that the newly developed analytical material model fits well with the experimental results. With the use of the derived nonlinear material model, design engineers can predict the material’s mechanical behaviour considering the environmental conditions on site while maintaining independence from the material’s supplier. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mechanical Properties of Polymers)
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11 pages, 4050 KiB  
Article
A Robust Technique for Polymer Damping Identification Using Experimental Transmissibility Data
by Mikel Brun, Fernando Cortés, Jon García-Barruetabeña, Imanol Sarría and María Jesús Elejabarrieta
Polymers 2022, 14(13), 2535; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14132535 - 21 Jun 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1464
Abstract
This paper presents a robust method to estimate polymers’ damping, based on modal identification methods on frequency functions. The proposed method presents great advantages compared to other traditional methods such as the HPB method for polymeric materials where high damping or noise levels [...] Read more.
This paper presents a robust method to estimate polymers’ damping, based on modal identification methods on frequency functions. The proposed method presents great advantages compared to other traditional methods such as the HPB method for polymeric materials where high damping or noise levels can limit their use. Specifically, this new method is applied on an experimental transmissibility function measured in a composite cantilever beam and the complex modulus is determined as a function of frequency. From this, a regenerated function is obtained based on the Euler–Bernoulli beam theory, and it is compared with experimental data. It can be concluded that the best way to apply the curve-fitting method for further testing of polymeric materials is when it is used with the whole frequency range by means of the MDOF method considering the residuals. In addition, this has the added advantage that the number of experimental tests to be carried out is much lower compared to using the SDOF method. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mechanical Properties of Polymers)
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14 pages, 9910 KiB  
Article
Investigating the Effects of Different Sizes of Silicone Rubber Vacuum Extractors during the Course of Delivery on the Fetal Head: A Finite Element Analysis Study
by Chuang-Yen Huang, Kuo-Min Su, Hsueh-Hsing Pan, Fung-Wei Chang, Yu-Ju Lai, Hung-Chih Chang, Yu-Chi Chen, Chi-Kang Lin and Kuo-Chih Su
Polymers 2022, 14(4), 723; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14040723 - 14 Feb 2022
Viewed by 2038
Abstract
During certain clinical situations, some parturients require instruments for operative vaginal delivery, and various designs of vacuum extractors may affect the fetal head. To investigate the biomechanical effects of divergent sizes of silicone rubber vacuum extractors, we employed finite element analysis in this [...] Read more.
During certain clinical situations, some parturients require instruments for operative vaginal delivery, and various designs of vacuum extractors may affect the fetal head. To investigate the biomechanical effects of divergent sizes of silicone rubber vacuum extractors, we employed finite element analysis in this study. First, we constructed computer models for different vacuum extractor sizes (diameters: 40 mm, 50 mm, 60 mm, and 70 mm), flat surface, hemispherical ball, and fetal head shape. A hemispherical ball was the main design for the vacuum extractor model, and the material used for the vacuum extractor was silicone rubber. Next, the settings of 1 mm vacuum extractor displacement and vacuum cap pressure of 60 cmHg were applied. The main observation markers of this study were the respective von Mises stresses on the vacuum extractor and skull by the reaction force on the fixed end. The concluded results revealed that vacuum extractors with larger diameters lead to greater reaction force, stress, and strain on fetal heads. Therefore, this study’s biomechanical analytic consequences suggest that clinicians avoid selecting larger vacuum extractors during operative instrumental delivery so that fetal heads will experience less external force, deformation, and resultant complications. It could also provide a practical reference for obstetricians for instrumental vaginal delivery with the vacuum extractor made of silicone rubber. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mechanical Properties of Polymers)
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