Abstract
Abstract The fracture characteristics of several glassy polymers subject to monotonic tensile loading and to alternating tension-compression loading are described and compared. In both cases, a reflected light method is used to detect craze initiation at an early stage. Various methods have been investigated to enhance the craze and fatigue resistance of PS. It is shown that increases in mean fatigue life of 2 to 3 decades are possible by increase of molecular weight and reduction in number of chain ends but that no increases occur if molecular weight is raised by cross-linking and radiation. The use of surface treatments and surface coatings as additional methods for enhancing fatigue performance is explored. It is found that chemical treatments can be even more effective, in some cases, than mechanical polishing and that surface coatings of flexible compatible oligomers, as well as surface layers of viscous hydrogen-bonding liquids, can enhance fatigue lifetimes by inhibiting or delaying crazing. Severa...
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