| A post-consumer recycled homopolymer (PCR-100-PE-N) was blended with high density ethylene hexene copolymer (HHM TR-480N) over the composition range of 0-100%. The resistance to slow crack growth (s.c.g.) was measured by a notched tensile test under a constant load in distilled water at three different temperatures 40{dollar}spcirc{dollar}C, 60{dollar}spcirc{dollar}C, and 80{dollar}spcirc{dollar}C. The slow crack growth rate da/dt decreases about three or four orders at the same stress intensity factor and temperature as the composition increased from 0 to 100% of the copolymer. In the range of compositions below 50% of the copolymer, the slow crack growth rate decreases relatively slowly with composition compared to the very rapid decreases for compositions greater than 50% of the copolymer. The results might be explained in terms of a network formed by the crystals and the tie molecules that contain short-chain branches. The network becomes continuous when the copolymer is the major component and consequently the resistance to the slow crack growth increases rapidly.; The fracture mechanisms for slow crack growth are identified using the activated rate process analysis. Considering the values of activation energies, it is concluded that progressive and incremental pull out of tie molecules from crystalline lamella was proposed as crack initiation mechanism.; It is found from {dollar}rm Ksb{lcub}c{rcub}{dollar}-da/dt curve that crack propagates with a time dependence, average 0.224 {dollar}pm{dollar} 0.069, at low stress intensity, and a higher slopes, average 0.509 {dollar}pm{dollar} 0.099, at high stress intensity. With the help of SEM study of the fracture surfaces, it is concluded that average slope 0.224 represents sharp crack situation of relaxation, while the average slope 0.509 is considered to be the results of crack tip blunting effects. |
