Fracture of poly(vinylidene fluoride): a combined synchrotron and laboratory in-situ X-ray scattering study.

Semi-crystalline polymers show a complex fracture mechanism, which is controlled by the micro-mechanisms associated with formation and breakdown of a plastic deformation region. Such regions develop at notches, cracks or other stress-raising defects. In the present paper, we use time-resolved synchrotron X-ray scattering techniques during the deformation process in poly(vinylidene fluoride) to study the plastic zone formation and fracture processes at different strain rates. This gives new insight into the micro-mechanisms of cavitation, lamellae separation and fibril formation in this particular material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]