Abstract

The aim of this study is to compare the mechanical properties of aged polymers measured at nano and macro scales in order to develop a fast characterization tools to predict polymer durability. Commercial thick PP/PE copolymer samples were aged under artificial aging conditions. The evolution of the mechanical properties with aging time was studied either at nano scale using a nanoindenter and at macro scale using a Dynamic Mechanical Analysis aparatus, nano and macro scale results were compared. Chemical degradation was monitored by infrared spectrometry and the surface topography was studied by Scanning Electron Microcopy. A Voigt model was used to calculate the Young's modulus of the bulk sample using the nano mechanical data and the results were compared to the measured macro Young's modulus. A good correlation was found between macro and nano scales as long as macroscopic defects such as cracks does not appeared. This work shows that nano indentation is a suitable technique to detect early stage degradation of polymers and therefore a powerful tool to predict durability of materials.

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