Deformation, yield and fracture of polymers at high pressure

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Abstract
The effects of hydrostatic pressure on the shear, compressive, and tensile stress‐strain behavior of both amorphous and crystalline polymers are reviewed and illustrated. For polymers with Tgnear to but below ambient temperature, there is a steep increase of modulus with pressure and, above some critical pressure, there is a lower rate of increase. The critical pressure is a linear function of the test temperature and, from its slope, one can deduce the pressure coefficient of Tg. For many other polymers, there is a linear increase, over a wide pressure range, of elastic and shear moduli with pressure, and this is in accord, to a first approximation, with predictions of finite strain theory. Most all polymers investigated show a strong pressure coefficient of yield stress and in many cases this variation is linear over a wide pressure range, in accord with several pressure dependent yield criteria. To a considerable extent, the yield stress rise with pressure parallels that of the modulus, and this behavior is predicted by some yield theories. The effects of pressure on fracture stress and fracture strain are discussed. The results obtained depend on the polymer composition and structure and on the pressure medium. Consideration is also given to the effects of pressure on crazing and stress‐whitening.

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