The Statistical Nature of Strength and Lifetime in Polymer Films and Fibers

Foreword Introduction Chapter 1. Strength and fracture of polymers Kinetics of fracture processes Temperature and time dependence of strength Principal results of the mathematical theory of cracks Chapter 2. Structural discreteness and defects of polymers Supramolecular organization and structural defects in polymers Discrete strength spectrum of polymers Chapter 3. Methods of the investigation of fracture and calculation of strength of polymers Statistical treatment of experimental results Calculation of lifetime and strength Time dependence of strength for polymers in the presence of surface-active medium and under cyclic tests Lifetime dependence of strength in polymers under non-isothermic loading Investigation of fracture on the basis of the Griffith criterion Heat impact and dynamic thermal elasticity Statistical kinetics of brittle and quasibrittle fracture of polymers Theory of element scale effect Chapter 4. Strength states of polymers Strength and lifetime distribution function for bulk (low-strength) samples Strength and lifetime distribution of thin (high-strength) polymer films and fibers Lifetime and strength of bulk and thin samples Chapter 5. Strength and fracture of the bulk polymer materials Specific features of temperature – time dependence of strength Lifetime and fracture under the action of irradiation fields Lifetime and fracture under separate and mutual action of diffusion media and irradiation fields Strength and fracture under severe climatic actions Chapter 6. Discrete strength spectrum and fracture of polymer fibers Structure and defects of polymer fibers Discrete strength spectrum Theoretical, limiting, and real strength in polymer fibers A discrete spectrum of microdefects of natural and synthetic fibers Monoelement and multielelement scale effect of strength and interpretation of rope phenomenon Chapter 7. Discrete strength spectrum and fracture of thin polymer films Structure and defects of semicrystalline and amorphous polymer films Discrete spectrum of strength, lifetime, and lengths of microdefects Discrete strength levels of films based on polymer compositions Discrete strength levels under joint and separate action of various factors The principle of temperature-time equivalence, invariability and changes in strength and lifetime levels Chapter 8. Discrete spectra and correlation between fracture mechanisms of polymers Lifetime and fracture mechanism of bulk (low-strength) and thin (high-strength) polymer films and fibers Correlation between fracture mechanisms and their effect on the distribution of the samples at lifetime levels Chapter 9. Discrete strength spectrum and correlation between fracture and electrophysical properties Discrete levels of mechanical and electrophysical properties of polymer films Structural hierarchy – universal property of polymers and solids Chapter 10. Discrete strength levels, thermofluctuation, relaxation, and statistical nature of scatter in experimental data Strength levels and relaxation phenomena Strength and relaxation transitions Thermofluctuation, relaxation, and statistical treatment of scatter in experimental data The effect of radiation-induced and natural aging on the structure and relaxation properties of polymer Chapter 11. Prediction, stabilization, and modification of service properties of polymers from discrete strength spectrum and relaxation spectrometry Application of discrete strength spectrum for the prediction, strengthening and optimisation of polymer structure Prediction, stabilization, and modification of structure and service properties of polymers on the basis of the data of relaxation spectrometry References

Biography

Bronya Tsoi

'...It is a highly theoretical and mathematical treatment of brittle and quasi-brittle fracture of solid polymers. Many of the papers in the 582 references have been published heretofore only in Russian. The research of numerous Russian chemical physicists is summarized and set in a historical context that includes the work of several distinguished non- Russian scientists.'... D.M. Wiles, Polymer News, 2005.