Page 305 - Fiber Fracture

Fiber Fracture
M . Elices and J . Llorca (Editors)
0 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd . All rights reserved

FRACTURE OF SYNTHETIC POLYMER

FIBERS

Yves Tennonia

Central Reseurch and Development. Building 001. Room 22.5, Experimental Station. E.I. du Pont de
Nemours. Inc., Wilmington . DE 19880.0101. USA

Introduction ..................................... 289
Model ........................................ 289
Unoriented Fiber ................................ 289
Oriented Fiber ................................. 292
Results and Discussion ............................... 293
Drawing of Unoriented Fiber .......................... 293
Effect of Molecular Weight ....................... 293
Effect of Density of Entanglements ................... 294
Effect of Drawing Conditions ...................... 295
Effect of Chain-Chain Interactions ................... 296
Ultimate Tensile Strength of Oriented Fiber .................. 297
Effect of Molecular Weight ....................... 298
Effect of Molecular Weight Distribution ................. 299
Effect of Chain-End Segregation ..................... 300
Conclusions ..................................... 301
References ...................................... 302

Abstract

This paper reviews our Monte-Carlo lattice models for the study of the factors
controlling the mechanical strength and mode of failure of flexible polymer fibers . We
start by focusing on unoriented chain systems and investigate the dependence of their
deformation behavior on chain length. density of entanglements and drawing conditions .
We then turn to the case of the fully oriented polymer chain and study the importance
of molecular weight and segregated chain-end defects in controlling the fiber ultimate