Fracture properties of polypropylene reinforced with short glass fibres: the influence of temperature, notch length and geometry

Abstract

Commercial grades of isotactic polypropylene TATREN TI 924 and SLOVALEN PH 61 GF 30 were used for preparation of specimens with 0, 10, 20 and 30 % of short glass fibres reinforcement ratio. Injection-moulded specimens were notched and exposed to impact bending tests with instrumented Charpy pendulum MFL Systeme. For each type of specimen the measurement was repeated 10 times for the assessment of the dynamic modulus of elasticity (res. dynamic yield strength) and 5 times for the fracture toughness evaluation. Fracture toughness characteristics were evaluated in temperatures range from -40 to 50 °C with 10°C increment. The influence of notch length and geometry on fracture toughness characteristics were evaluated at the temperatures of (20 ?1) °C.