Skip to main content
Log in

Deformation behaviour of coextruded multilayer composites with polycarbonate and poly(styrene-acrylonitrile)

  • Papers
  • Published:
Journal of Materials Science Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The tensile properties of coextruded multilayer composites comprised of predominantly 49 alternating layers of polycarbonate (PC) and polystyrene- acrylonitrile (SAN) were investigated in the bulk and microscopically. The bulk was characterized by three types of behaviour: brittle fracture at low strains, ductile yielding with fracture during neck formation, and formation of a stable neck followed by drawing to high extension. Optical microscopy was utilized to correlate deformation mechanisms within each phase to the observed modes of deformation in the bulk. Optical microscopy showed that in all cases the initial irreversible deformation event was the formation of cracks or crazes in the SAN layers. Good adhesion between the layers resulted in the subsequent initiation of shear bands in the polycarbonate layers at the craze tips. Interaction of crazes and shear bands produced an expanded damage zone ahead of the propagating crack which delocalized the stress and delayed fracture. The ultimate mode of fracture depended on the relative thickness of the SAN and PC layers, as determined by the composition, and the strain rate.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. W. J. Schrenk, US Patent 3773882 (1973).

  2. W. J. Schrenk andT. Alfrey Jr,Soc. Plast. Eng. J.29 (1973) 38.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. L. M. Tomka andW. J. Schrenk,Mod. Plast.49 (1972) 62.

    Google Scholar 

  4. W. J. Schrenk andT. Alfrey Jr,Polym. Eng. Sci.9 (1969) 393.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. T. Alfrey Jr,Appl. Poly. Symp.24 (1974) 3.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. T. Alfrey Jr, E. F. Gurnee andW. J. Schrenk,Polym. Eng. Sci.9 (1969) 400.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. J. Im andW. F. Shrum, US Patent 4540623 (1985).

  8. J. A. Radford, T. Alfrey Jr andW. J. Schrenk,Polym. Eng. Sci.13 (1973) 216.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. W. J. Schrenk andT. Alfrey Jr, in “Polymer Blends”, Vol. 2, edited by D. R. Paul and S. Newman, (Academic, New York, 1978) p. 129.

    Google Scholar 

  10. B. Gregory, A. Hiltner, E. Baer andJ. Im,Polym. Eng. Sci. (1986) in press.

  11. J. D. Keitz, J. W. Barlow andD. R. Paul,Appl. Polym. Sci.29 (1984) 3131.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Gregory, B.L., Siegmann, A., Im, J. et al. Deformation behaviour of coextruded multilayer composites with polycarbonate and poly(styrene-acrylonitrile). J Mater Sci 22, 532–538 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01160765

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01160765

Keywords

Navigation