Dynamic and Modulated Mechanical Evaluation of Polymer Structures

Abstract

Mechanical testing is foremost a means to measure material performance, however it provides a probe into the complex elastic, viscoelastic and viscoplastic behavior of polymer morphologies. The techniques in this work utilize variables of time/frequency, temperature, stress and strain with emphasis on dynamic and modulated implementation. Several instruments were used since a particular instrument does not provide all of the capabilities. The material response is complex and it has been resolved into typically instantaneous and time-dependent components. Some of the techniques are widely used and these have been extended, while other techniques introduce control over alternate variables. Polycarbonate was chosen as the main example with support from similar polymers, though the techniques are applied to many polymer types.