The effect of thermal history on the deformation mechanism of 2,6‐dimethylpoly(phenylene oxide)

Abstract

Stress‐strain relationship of 2,6 dimethyl poly(phenylene oxide)(2,6 MPPO) was established simultaneously with optical micrographic examination as a function of thermal history. Films (5–7 μm) were solvent cast and annealed below their glass transition and melting point. As‐cast film showed ductile behavior associated with shearband formation, whereas thermally treated material exhibited marked embrittlement; the slower it cooled the more brittle it became. Thermally treated material showed mixed mode deformation: crazing and shearbanding. The correlation between the deformation mechanism and its solid state structure was studied using differential scanning calorimetry, wide angle x‐ray diffraction, and density measurement.