Impact tensile fracture testing of a brittle polymer

The fracture behavior of a brittle polymer, methylmethacrylate-butadiene-styrene resin, under impact tensile loading was studied using single-edge-cracked specimens. The dynamic load and displacement were measured with a Piezo sensor and a high-speed extensometer, respectively. The load and displacement diagram, i.e., the external work, U_ex, applied to the specimen was used to determine the elastic energy, E_e, and non-elastic energy, E_n, due to viscoelastic and plastic deformation, and the fracture energy, E_f, for creating new fracture surface, A_s. The energy-release rates were then estimated using G_t=U_ex/A_s and G_f=E_f/A_s. The values of G_t and G_f were correlated with the fracture loads and the mean crack velocities determined from the load and time relationships.