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An unusual visual microcracking/healing phenomenon in polycarbonate at room temperature
Author(s) -
Narkis M.,
Bell J. P.
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
journal of applied polymer science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.575
H-Index - 166
eISSN - 1097-4628
pISSN - 0021-8995
DOI - 10.1002/app.1982.070270807
Subject(s) - polycarbonate , supersaturation , cracking , materials science , boiling , composite material , self healing , phase change , chemistry , thermodynamics , medicine , alternative medicine , physics , organic chemistry , pathology
Polycarbonate samples show no visible changes upon removal from boiling water. However, during a subsequent storage stage at room temperature they begin to develop visible disc‐shaped microcracks whose number and size increase with time. At a certain time during the room temperature storage period a healing process begins leading in many cases to a complete visual disappearance of the microcracks. The cracking/healing phenomenon is explained in terms of water‐supersaturated systems undergoing water phase‐separation creating water filled microcracks. These thin water filled microcracks then lose their water to the environment during drying at room temperature, close, and visually heal.