Combined effect of artificial aging and fatigue on the mechanical, structural, and morphological properties of polystyrene
Karollyne Gomes de Castro Monsores 1, Anderson Oliveira da Silva 1, Suzane de Sant’ Ana Oliveira1, Ricardo Pondé Weber1, Paulo Feliciano Filho2, Larissa Gomes Simão3, Eduardo Atem de Carvalho3,*, Sergio Neves Monteiro1.
1Military Institute of Engineering – IME
Department of Materials Science, Praça General Tibúrcio 80, URCA, 22290-270, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
2Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Rio de Janeiro – IFRJ
Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
3Northern Fluminense State University – UENF
Advanced Materials Lab, Av. Alberto Lamego, Horto, 28013-602 – Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ, Brazil
* eatem@uenf.br
*Corresponding author
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.
Keywords: Fatigue Life, Thermo Mechanical Fatigue, Polymer, Thermal Aging Degradation.