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Starch‐filled ternary polymer composites. II: Room temperature tensile properties
Author(s) -
Lawrence S. St.,
Walia P. S.,
Felker F.,
Willett J. L.
Publication year - 2004
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.20185
Subject(s) - materials science , composite material , ultimate tensile strength , composite number , deformation (meteorology) , polyethylene , ternary operation , young's modulus , modulus , starch , biochemistry , chemistry , computer science , programming language
Abstract The room temperature tensile properties of granular starch‐filled low‐density polyethylene (PE) and starch‐filled blends of PE and poly(hydroxy ester ether) (PHEE) are presented. At low filler contents (ϕ f ), the filled PE:PHEE blend has a higher yield stress and tensile strength than either the starch/PE composites or the unfilled matrix. The increase in the yield stress indicates that matrix yielding occurs before debonding. At high filler contents, the tensile strength of the filled blend is again greater than the strength of the starch/PE composites. This increase in strength is the result of higher debonding stresses in the ternary composite. In both materials there is a change in the deformation process at a critical filler content, ϕ cr . Below ϕ cr , deformation involves the growth of debonded regions; above ϕ cr , deformation is confined to narrow damaged zones. There is a reduction in the strain at failure when this change in the deformation process occurs. Although the PHEE surface coating affects the debonding stress and the tensile strength, it does not affect the strain at failure or the tensile modulus. For both composite materials, the increase in modulus with ϕ f can be adequately described using a simplified form of the Kerner equation. Polym. Eng. Sci. 44:1839–1847, 2004. © 2004 Society of Plastics Engineers.