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Relationship between Structure and Mechanical Properties of Melt Processable PTFE: Influence of Molecular Weight and Comonomer Content
Author(s) -
Frick Achim,
Sich Dorota,
Heinrich Gert,
Stern Claudia,
Gössi Matthias,
Tervoort Theo A.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
macromolecular materials and engineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.913
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1439-2054
pISSN - 1438-7492
DOI - 10.1002/mame.201200172
Subject(s) - comonomer , materials science , crystallinity , polytetrafluoroethylene , composite material , copolymer , ultimate tensile strength , deformation (meteorology) , cracking , stress (linguistics) , polymer , linguistics , philosophy
The influence of molecular weight and comonomer content on the mechanical properties of several melt‐processable polytetrafluoroethylene (MP PTFE) materials is studied. Additionally, a comparison of mechanical properties including tensile properties and their dependence on environment as well as fatigue life of PTFE, MP PTFE and perfluoroalkoxy copolymer (PFA) is made. PTFE homopolymer and PTFE copolymers exhibit considerably different mechanical properties. The small strain deformation behaviour up to yielding correlates with the degree of crystallinity and comonomer content, whereas the large strain deformation was found to depend on intercrystalline connections, such as tie molecules and chain entanglements. The special role of these elements in determining the fatigue life and sensitivity to environmental stress cracking is also demonstrated.