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Microvoid formation and strain hardening in highly cross-linked polymer networks
Journal article

Microvoid formation and strain hardening in highly cross-linked polymer networks

Debashish Mukherji and Cameron F Abrams
Physical review. E, Statistical, nonlinear, and soft matter physics, v 78(5 Pt 1), pp 050801-050801
Nov 2008
PMID: 19113085

Abstract

Using molecular dynamics simulations of a generic model, we observe strain hardening in highly cross-linked polymer glasses under tensile deformation. We show that formation of microvoids, without bond breaking, constitutes the microscopic origins of strain hardening. A well-defined functional form is observed for the void size distribution that is consistent with voids in dense equilibrium Lennard-Jones particle packings, independent of strain. Microvoid-based strain hardening is not observed in a separate model with tetrahedral bond angle constraints, indicating that flexible cross-linkers are the key factor in the development of strain hardening behavior.

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Web of Science research areas
Physics, Fluids & Plasmas
Physics, Mathematical
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