Combined effect of artificial aging and fatigue on the mechanical,
structural, and morphological properties of polystyrene
Abstract
The mechanical, structural, and morphological properties of polystyrene
(PS) under fatigue combined with accelerated aging were investigated.
The results revealed that under the condition of fatigue
(tension–tension) combined with UV-B exposure, in the periods of 336
and 575 h, the mechanical resistance presented is lower when compared to
PS subjected to only fatigue. The modifications produced by the
irradiation were evaluated by physical-chemical tests, which resulted in
changes in the properties of the degraded materials, such as reduced
molecular mass due to chain cleavage and increased crystallinity. The
predominant failure mechanism in mechanically fractured specimens was
also influenced by irradiation, so that the hardening of the surface
layer was characterized by Vickers microhardness.