Journal of Applied Polymer Science, Vol.69, No.13, 2657-2661, 1998
Fracture mechanics of polypropylene : Effect of molecular characteristics, crystallization conditions, and annealing on morphology and impact performance
Fracture mechanics study of polypropylene samples of various molecular weight, obtained under different crystallizations conditions, is reported. Fracture toughness values obtained at high speed of impact as well as at low temperatures increased with increasing molecular weight and decreasing crystallization temperature. Scanning electron micrographs of fractured samples aided in elucidating the fracture mechanism of the polymer studied.