PVC MBS BLENDS WITH SMALL CONCENTRATIONS OF PET - FAILURE PROCESSES IN THIN-FILMS DURING UNIAXIAL TENSION/

The effects of small concentrations of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (P ET) particles on the failure of poly(vinyl chloride) blended with a (m ethacrylate-butadiene-styrene) impact modifier (PVC/MBS) were studied. The failure processes arising from isolated and interacting particles were observed in situ in the optical microscope during tensile deform ation. At low PET content (< 0.5%), voids grew around individual parti cles without particle-particle interaction. Subsequently, a stable nec k developed, and the material experienced relatively large deformation before fracture. With increasing PET content and increasing particle size, particle-particle interactions were observed. At higher PET cont ent (greater-than-or-equal-to 1%), the neck was not stable and fractur e occurred during neck formation. Materials with larger particles exhi bited neck instability and fracture at lower PET content. (C) 1994 Joh n Wiley & Sons, Inc.