A nonequilibrium constitutive equation for the stress–strain behavior of water‐absorbed poly(methyl methacrylate)‐based materials

Abstract

AbstractIn this work, the water absorption effects on the tensile behavior of a poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) doped with lithium trifluoromethanesulfonate (LiCF3SO3) was investigated. It was found that the water content in the PMMA/LiCF3SO3system could be controlled using the salt content because of the system's remarkable water absorbability. Moreover, it was found that a dried PMMA/LiCF3SO3is more brittle compared to a pristine PMMA; however, PMMA/LiCF3SO3samples containing high water level demonstrated high drawability. The brittle‐to‐ductile transition was represented using a kinetic mechanism in which water spots accumulated around salts were spread throughout a whole sample specimen and stretched to a homogeneously water‐absorbed condition.