Voiding mechanisms in deformed polyamide 6 observed at the nanometric scale

Micromechanisms of deformation and cavitation within the spherulitic microstructure of a polyamide 6 (PA6) material have been observed with a true spatial resolution of 50 nm by magnified synchrotron radiation holotomography. Smooth round bars in PA6 were submitted to interrupted monotonic tensile tests. Before the engineering peak stress, only pre-existing nanometric voids were identified. At the peak stress, void growth and coalescence have been observed in the neck and 2 mm apart from the neck along the revolution axis. Two kinds of cavity arrangements have also been identified, studied quantitatively, and attributed to specific regions of the deformed spherulites. Voiding appeared in the equatorial plane of the spherulites as diffuse annular voided zones, and polar fans were characteristically penny-shaped voids stacked in columns parallel to the loading axis in the spherulite poles. A cylindrical volume located at the center of these spherulites remained intact (no voids)