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Tear strength of ductile polyolefin films
Author(s) -
Chang A. C.,
Inge T.,
Tau L.,
Hiltner A.,
Baer E.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
polymer engineering and science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.503
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1548-2634
pISSN - 0032-3888
DOI - 10.1002/pen.11110
Subject(s) - materials science , tearing , tear resistance , composite material , polyolefin , polypropylene , polyethylene , ultimate tensile strength , layer (electronics)
A reinforced trouser tear test was developed to evaluate the tear resistance of thin ductile films. Tests with blown film of linear low‐density polyethylene blended with up to 30 wt% of a high melt strength polypropylene (hmsPP) demonstrated that the test differentiated among films based on composition and thickness. Increasing the amount of hmsPP in the film decreased the tear resistance. Also, thinner films were less tear‐resistant than thicker films. Stable crack growth occurred with transformation of a crack tip damage zone into a continuous yielded zone at the fractured edge. The tear energy was directly proportional to the width of the yielded zone. Correspondence between the energy to deform the material in the yielded zone and the measured tear energy demonstrated that yielding in the vicinity of the propagating crack provided the resistance to tearing in these films.