Evaluation of Fracture Toughness of Ultraviolet-Irradiated Polycarbonate Using the Essential Work of Fracture Method

The essential work of fracture (EWF) method provides useful parameters to characterize the fracture toughness of polymers exposed to degrading environments under conditions associated with plane-stress state of failure. Exposure of polymeric engineering materials to ultraviolet (UV) radiation may produce macromolecular changes that impair their fracture toughness. In the present work, for the first time, the EWF method applying a double edge notched tensile specimen was used to quantify the fracture toughness behavior of polycarbonate (PC) exposed to different, 300 h and 600 h, UV irradiation ...