TY - JOUR A1 - Schilling, Markus A1 - Niebergall, Ute A1 - Marschall, Niklas A1 - Meinel, Dietmar A1 - Böhning, Martin T1 - Relation of craze to crack length during slow crack growth phenomena in high‐density polyethylene JF - Polymer Engineering & Science N2 - The craze‐crack mechanism occurring in high‐density polyethylene (HDPE) causing slow crack growth and environmental stress cracking is investigated in detail with respect to the relation of crack length and the related craze zone. This is essential for the understanding of the resulting features of the formed fracture surface and their interpretation in the context of the transition from crack propagation to ductile shear deformation. It turns out that an already formed craze zone does not inevitably result in formation of a propagating crack, but could also undergo ductile failure. For the examination, the full notch creep test (FNCT) was employed with a subsequent advanced fracture surface analysis that was performed using various imaging techniques: light microscopy, laser scanning microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and X‐ray micro computed tomography scan. FNCT specimens were progressively damaged for increasing durations under standard test conditions applying Arkopal, the standard surfactant solution, and biodiesel as test media were used to analyze the stepwise growth of cracks and crazes. From considerations based on well‐established fracture mechanics approaches, a theoretical correlation between the length of the actual crack and the length of the preceding craze zone was established that could be evidenced and affirmed by FNCT fracture surface analysis. Moreover, the yield strength of a HDPE material exposed to a certain medium as detected by a classic tensile test was found to be the crucial value of true stress to induce the transition from crack propagation due to the craze‐crack mechanism to shear deformation during FNCT measurements. Highlights - Progress of crack formation in high‐density polyethylene is analyzed by different imaging techniques - Determined growth rates depend on distinction between craze zone and crack - The ratio of the present crack to the anteceding craze zone is validated theoretically - The transition from crack propagation to ductile shear deformation is identified - An already formed craze zone may still fail by ductile mechanisms KW - Craze-crack mechanism KW - Environmental stress cracking (ESC) KW - Full notch creep test (FNCT) KW - Laser scanning microscopy (LSM) KW - Slow crack growth (SCG) KW - X-ray computed tomography (CT) PY - 2024 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-601831 DO - https://doi.org/10.1002/pen.26698 SN - 1548-2634 VL - 64 IS - 6 SP - 2387 EP - 2403 PB - Wiley AN - OPUS4-60183 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Schilling, Markus A1 - Niebergall, Ute A1 - Marschall, Niklas A1 - Alig, I. A1 - Böhning, Martin T1 - A phenomenological criterion for an optical assessment of PE-HD fracture surfaces obtained from FNCT JF - Polymer Testing N2 - The full-notch creep test (FNCT) is a common test method to evaluate the environmental stress cracking (ESC) behavior of high-density polyethylene (PE-HD), e.g. for container materials. The test procedure as specified in ISO 16770 provides a comparative measure of the resistance against ESC using the time to failure of PE-HD specimens under constant mechanical load in a well-defined liquid test environment. Since the craze-crack damage mechanism underlying the ESC phenomenon is associated with brittle failure, the occurrence of a predominantly brittle fracture surface is a prerequisite to consider an FNCT measurement as representative for ESC, i.e. a time to failure dominated by craze-crack propagation. The craze-crack propagation continuously reduces the effective residual cross-sectional area of the specimen during the test, which results in a corresponding increase of the effective mechanical stress. Thus, a transition to ductile shear deformation is inevitable at later stages of the test, leading usually to a pronounced central ligament. Therefore, an optical evaluation of FNCT fracture surfaces concerning their brittleness is essential. An enhanced imaging analysis of FNCT fracture surfaces enables a detailed assessment of craze-crack Propagation during ESC. In this study, laser scanning microscopy (LSM) was employed to evaluate whether FNCT fracture surfaces are representative with respect to craze-crack propagation and ESC. Based on LSM height data, a phenomenological criterion is proposed to assess the validity of distinct FNCT measurements. This criterion is supposed to facilitate a quick evaluation of FNCT results in practical routine testing. Its applicability is verified on a sample basis for seven different commercial PE-HD container materials. KW - Environmental stress cracking (ESC) KW - Full notch creep test (FNCT) KW - Laser scanning microscopy (LSM) KW - Fracture surfaces KW - Optical criterion of brittleness PY - 2021 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-521012 DO - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polymertesting.2020.107002 VL - 94 SP - 107002 PB - Elsevier Ltd. CY - Amsterdam AN - OPUS4-52101 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER -