Crack Path Selection in Microstructurally Tailored Inhomogeneous Polymers

Abstract

In this work, the wide range of properties of a photodegradable polymer are exploited to generate a host of different inhomogeneous arrangements that can help us experimentally study crack path selection problems. The model material which we are using is a polyethylene copolymer, ECO, whose photosensitive behavior allows alterations in its mechanical properties when subjected to ultraviolet (UV) irradiation. It is seen that ECO becomes stiffer but more