This book gives an overview of recent advances in the fracture mechanics of polymers (experimental and alternative methods), morphology property correlations (homopolymers, copolymers, blends), hybrid methods for polymer testing and polymer diagnostics, and biocompatible materials and medical prostheses, as well as application examples and limits. The investigation of deformation and fracture behaviour using the experimental methods of fracture mechanics has been the subject of intense research during the last decade. In a systematic manner, each chapter of this book gives a review of the particular aspects. This book will be of great value to scientists, engineers and graduates in polymer materials science.

Elastomers are found in many applications ranging from technology to daily life applications for example in tires, drive systems, sealings and print rollers. Dynamical operation conditions put extremely high demands on the performance and stability of these materials and their elastic and flow properties can be easily adjusted by simple manipulations on their elastic and viscous properties. However, the required service life suffers often from material damage as a result of wear processes such as abrasion and wear fatigue, mostly caused by crack formation and propagation. This book covers interdisciplinary research between physics, physical chemistry, material sciences and engineering of elastomers within the range from nanometres to millimetres and connects these aspects with the constitutive material properties. The different chapters describe reliable lifetime and durability predictions based on new fracture mechanical testing concepts and advanced material-theoretical methods which are finally implemented in the finite element method for structural simulations. The use of this approach allows a realistic description of complex geometrical and loading conditions which includes the peculiarities of the mechanical behaviour of elastomeric materials in detail. Furthermore, this approach demonstrates how multi-scale research concepts provide an ambitious interdisciplinary challenge at the interface between engineering and natural sciences. This book covers the interests of academic researchers, graduate students and professionals working in polymer science, rubber and tire technology and in materials science at the interface of academic and industrial research.

This book covers the most recent advances in the deformation and fracture behaviour of polymer material. It provides deeper insight into related morphology-property correlations of thermoplastics, elastomers and polymer resins. Each chapter of this book gives a comprehensive review of state-of-the-art methods of materials testing and diagnostics, tailored for plastic pipes, films and adhesive systems as well as elastomeric components and others. The investigation of deformation and fracture behaviour using the experimental methods of fracture mechanics has been the subject of intense research during the last decade. In a systematic manner, modern aspects of fracture mechanics in the industrial application of polymers for bridging basic research and industrial development are illustrated by multifarious examples of innovative materials usage. This book will be of value to scientists, engineers and in polymer materials science.

A Zahigkeitscharakterisierung mit Hilfe bruchmechanischer Konzepte.- A 1 Stand und Entwicklungstendenzen.- Neue Entwicklungen bei der bruchmechanischen Zahigkeitsbewertung von Kunststoffen und Verbunden.- JTJ-Konzept und dissipative Energien am Riss.- A 2 Experimentelle Methoden.- Bruchmechanische Messmethoden fur Polymere.- Einfluss von Prufkoerpergeometrie und Beanspruchungsbedingungen auf das Risswiderstandsverhalten von PVC und PP.- Prozedur zur Ermittlung des Risswiderstandsverhaltens mit dem instrumentierten Kerbschlagbiegeversuch.- Experimentelle Methoden zur Charakterisierung des Bruchverhaltens von HDPE-Rohren.- Die mechanische Charakterisierung von Polymeren und verstarkten Polymeren - Experimentelle Probleme und theoretische Hintergrunde.- A 3 Alternative Methoden.- Approximative Methoden zur Beschreibung des Risswiderstandsverhaltens im instrumentierten Kerbschlagbiegeversuch.- Anwendung der Normalisierungsmethode zur Ermittlung von Risswiderstandskurven an amorphen PVC-Werkstoffen.- Berechnung von J-R-Kurven aus Kraft-Durchbiegungs-Diagrammen auf Basis des Gelenkprutkoerpers.- J-TJ- und ?-T?-Stabilitatsdiagramme als Grundlage einer alternativen Methode zur Ermittlung von Instabilitatswerten aus Risswiderstandskurven.- B Morphologie-Eigenschafts-Korrelationen.- B 1 Homopolymerisate.- UEbermolekulare Struktur und mechanische Eigenschaften von isotaktischem Polypropylen.- Bruchverhalten und Morphologie von HDPE-Werkstoffen.- Zahigkeits- und Relaxationsverhalten von PMMA, PS und PC.- Crazing in amorphen Polymeren - Entstehung und Wachstum fibrillarer Crazes in der Nahe der Glasubergangstemperatur.- Einfluss der Temperatur und der Feuchtigkeit auf das Zahigkeitsverhalten von Polyamid.- B 2 Blends.- Zusammenhang zwischen Bruchverhalten und Morphologie von PE/PP-Blends.- Einfluss von Modifikatorkonzentration und Pruftemperatur auf das Zahigkeitsverhalten von modifizierten Polyamiden.- Morphologie und Zahigkeit von PP/EPR-Blends.- B 3 Copolymerisate.- Anwendung bruchmechanischer Werkstoffkenngroessen zur Optimierung des Zahigkeitsverhaltens von polymeren Mehrphasensystemen mit PP-Matrix.- Bruchmechanische Zahigkeitsbewertung des Rissinitiierungs-und Rissausbreitungsverhaltens von Ethylen-Propylen-Random-Copolymerisaten.- Risszahigkeitsverhalten von ABS-Werkstoffen.- ABS - Sproedbruch-Untersuchungen der Morphologie-Versagens-Beziehung.- C Hybride Methoden der Kunststoffprufung und Kunststoffdiagnostik.- Neue Moeglichkeiten der zerstoerungsfreien Charakterisierung von Polymeren.- Ermittlung des lokalen Deformationsverhaltens von Kunststoffen mittels Laserextensometrie.- D Technologische Prufverfahren.- Einsatzgrenzen von Kunststoffen und deren Verbunden unter Reibungs- und Verschleissbedingungen.- Modifizierung von Polymerwerkstoffen mit amorphem Kohlenstoff zur Optimierung des Reibungsverhaltens.- Mechanisches Schwingungsverhalten einer CFK-Verdichterschaufel.- E Biokompatible Werkstoffe und medizinische Implantate.- Polymere Werkstoffe in der orthopadischen Gelenkchirurgie.- Werkstoffparameter von funktionellen Prothesen im HNO-Bereich bei fortschreitender Degradation.- Mikrobielle Korrosion von pharyngo-trachealen Shuntventilen.- Werkstoff-und Deformationsverhalten von Stimmprothesen - Sensibilitat mechanischer Prufverfahren.- F Spezielle Werkstoffe.- Rissinitiierung, Verschleiss und molekulare Struktur von gefullten Vulkanisaten.- Charakterisierung des Deformationsverhaltens von modifiziertem Polymerbeton.- G Einsatz-und Anwendungsgrenzen.- Der Einfluss des biaxialen Spannungszustandes auf die Werkstoffkennwertfunktionen nichtlinear-viskoelastischer Werkstoffe.- Mediale Bestandigkeit von PP/GF-Verbunden.- Einfluss der medialen Auslagerung auf das Impactverhalten glasfaserverstarkter Kunststoffe.- Physikalische Alterung von Polypropylen.- Autorenindex.

Elastomers are found in many applications ranging from technology to daily life applications for example in tires, drive systems, sealings and print rollers. Dynamical operation conditions put extremely high demands on the performance and stability of these materials and their elastic and flow properties can be easily adjusted by simple manipulations on their elastic and viscous properties. However, the required service life suffers often from material damage as a result of wear processes such as abrasion and wear fatigue, mostly caused by crack formation and propagation. This book covers interdisciplinary research between physics, physical chemistry, material sciences and engineering of elastomers within the range from nanometres to millimetres and connects these aspects with the constitutive material properties. The different chapters describe reliable lifetime and durability predictions based on new fracture mechanical testing concepts and advanced material-theoretical methods which are finally implemented in the finite element method for structural simulations. The use of this approach allows a realistic description of complex geometrical and loading conditions which includes the peculiarities of the mechanical behaviour of elastomeric materials in detail. Furthermore, this approach demonstrates how multi-scale research concepts provide an ambitious interdisciplinary challenge at the interface between engineering and natural sciences. This book covers the interests of academic researchers, graduate students and professionals working in polymer science, rubber and tire technology and in materials science at the interface of academic and industrial research.

Das Anliegen des Konferenzberichts besteht darin, den derzeitigen Erkenntnisstand auf dem Gebiet des Verformungs- und Bruchverhaltens von Polymerwerkstoffen in Form eines "Status Reports" darzustellen. Hierfur wurden ausgewahlte Vortrage des 6. Problemseminars Deformations- und Bruchverhalten von Kunststoffen thematisch zusammengestellt und durch weitere Beitrage aus der eigenen Forschungsarbeit erganzt. Besondere Schwerpunkte bestehen auf den Gebieten: Zahigkeitscharakterisierung mit Hilfe bruchmechanischer Konzepte (Neuere Entwicklungen, Experimentelle Methode, Approximative Methoden), Morphologie-Eigenschafts- Korrelationen (Homopolymerisate, Blends, Copolymerisate), Hybride Methoden der Kunststoffprufung und Kunststoffdiagnostik, Bikompatible Werkstoffe und medizinische Implantate, Einsatz- und Anwendungsgrenzen von Kunststoffen."

Reliable and meaningful methods of polymer testing are necessary to support the plastics industry, being essential for understanding material and part properties, and evaluating materials for a part design, with important implications for product safety as well as operating conditions and lifetime. This book covers all the most important testing methods, from long-established basic techniques to recent developments, including the latest polymer testing standards. By means of examples for the optimization of materials as well as for the evaluation of part properties, an insight into modern polymer testing and its interdisciplinary character is provided. Included in this third edition is an all-new chapter on the testing of polymer films; additionally, many small updates and corrections have been made throughout the book. Numerous tables and figures are included, providing structures and physico-chemical data. A special section for beginners is dedicated to guiding formulations and test methods. A relatively short section deals with development trends in Europe. Sustainability is a major theme, and it is demonstrated that PVC has a strong potential to develop into a fully sustainable material. Another section deals with the everyday problems in the processing of PVC, such as the formation of specks, photo-effects, and plate-out. Plate-out is a common problem in the processing of PVC but only relatively few publications cover it. The causes, influencing factors, and mechanisms are still poorly understood. This section, unique in the literature, provides assistance in the selection and dosage of raw materials to PVC processor, based on the influencing factors during processing.