Fracture behaviour of an EPBC film. Study of the relationships between J0 and EWF

The fracture behavior for a film of ethylene-propylene block copolymer has been studied applying the essential work of fracture method. Double-Edge Notch Tensile (DDENT) specimens were sharpened by two different techniques. The first technique has been using the conventional method of the razor blade; the second one, using a femtolaser ablation beam. The notch tip radiuses were quite similar. In the case of the razor blade method, some plastic deformation at the crack tip was found. The essential work of fracture (we) value for femtolaser sharpened specimens was significantly shorter than for the razor blade sharpening specimens. In this order, the slopes corresponding to the plastic work dissipation factor (wp) were quite similar. Results aim to say that the initiation point and the corresponding energy for which we is achieved may be considered as the energy of initiation (J0) for the crack growing propagation. The propagation behavior seems to be the same for both notch sharpening methods. The J0 value at initiation and we were quite similar; the wp terms are analyzed from J-R plots.Peer Reviewe