MICROMECHANICAL DEFORMATIONS IN PARTICULATE FILLED THERMOPLASTICS - VOLUME STRAIN-MEASUREMENTS

Volume strain measurements were carried out on PP composites containing different CaCO3 fillers. During deformation, a volume increase was detected which could be divided into two linear sections as a function of elongation. Comparison of data with existing theories has shown that in the first part, mostly elastic deformation takes place and the slope can be related to the Poisson's ratio of the composite. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that in the second stage, the dominating micromechanical deformation process is debonding. Void formation is initiated at a certain stress which approximately corresponds to the yield stress of the composites, but data in the literature and model calculations indicate that separation of the matrix/filler interface may start at lower stresses. Initiation stress depends on the particle size of the filler and on interfacial interactions. The rate of volume increase has non-linear dependence on the volume fraction of the filler. Volume strain measurements reflect micromechanical deformations well, but further study is needed to explain contradictions between experimental results and theoretical predictions.