Plastic deformation of polymer blends with crystallizable components

The application of polymer blends depends mostly on their high ability to plastic deformation. Usually the studies of plastic deformation behavior include only the stress‐deformation relationship and investigation of changes of morphology of the blends on the size level of inclusions. The energy absorption is also often considered. The presented, more rigorous, approach to plastic deformation of polymer blends containing a crystallizable component involves the studies of crystal plasticity and associated deformation of the amorphous phase. Plastic deformation of blends containing high‐density polyethylene and isotactic poly(propylene) with other components were studied in two modes of deformation: 1. that avoids internal cavitation and 2. in tension with intense voiding. When no internal cavitation was involved, the plastic deformation was crystallographic in nature while the amorphous phase deformed in a manner to accommodate for the rotation and slips of the crystalline phase. Also the plastic deformation associated with intense voiding leads to a preferred orientation of certain crystallographic planes containing macromolecular chains which strongly suggests that the leading mechanisms in plastic deformation of blends are of crystallographic nature. The plastic deformation behavior depends very much on the glass transition of the amorphous component of the blend.