Abstract
The influence of sorbed water on average fatigue life and on fracture surface morphology for unnotched samples of low and high molecular weight poly(methyl methacrylate) has been investigated. For air-equilibrated samples, the effects of test frequency on fatigue performance, and on associated thermal effects, have been determined. Average fatigue lifetimes are about two decades higher for the high molecular weight polymer. Sorbed water, at concentrations from 0 to 1%, produces a significant drop in fatigue resistance. At higher water contents, fatigue life tends to become independent of water content. It is suggested that the transition in behaviour near 1% is associated with onset of water clustering.
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