Mechanical Testing of an advanced thermoplastic polyimide (LaRC-TM-SI) with known variations in molecular weight was performed over a range of temperatures below the glass transition temperature. The physical characterization, elastic properties and notched tensile strength were all determined as a function of molecular weight and test temperature. It was shown that notched tensile strength is a strong function of both temperature and molecular weight, whereas stiffness is only a strong function of temperature. A critical molecular weight (Mc) was observed to occur at a weight-average molecular weight (Mw) of approx. 22000 g/mol below which, the notched tensile strength decreases rapidly. This critical molecular weight transition is temperature-independent. Furthermore, inelastic analysis showed that low molecular weight materials tended to fail in a brittle manner, whereas high molecular weight materials exhibited ductile failure. The microstructural images supported these findings.Nicholson, Lee M. and Whitley, Karen S. and Gates, Thomas S. and Hinkley, Jeffrey A.Langley Research CenterMOLECULAR WEIGHT; MECHANICAL PROPERTIES; POLYIMIDES; ELASTIC PROPERTIES; THERMOPLASTICITY; TENSILE STRENGTH; DUCTILE-BRITTLE TRANSITION; TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE; FRACTOGRAPHY; GLASS TRANSITION TEMPERATURE; STRESS-STRAIN DIAGRAMS; MODULUS OF ELASTICITY; MICROSTRUCTURE; POLYMER MATRIX COMPOSITES; NOTCHES; TENSILE TESTS

The effect of molecular weight on the viscoelastic performance of an advanced polymer (LaRC-SI) was investigated through the use of creep compliance tests. Testing consisted of short-term isothermal creep and recovery with the creep segments performed under constant load. The tests were conducted at three temperatures below the glass transition temperature of five materials of different molecular weight. Through the use of time-aging-time superposition procedures, the material constants, material master curves and aging-related parameters were evaluated at each temperature for a given molecular weight. The time-temperature superposition technique helped to describe the effect of temperature on the timescale of the viscoelastic response of each molecular weight. It was shown that the low molecular weight materials have higher creep compliance and creep rate, and are more sensitive to temperature than the high molecular weight materials. Furthermore, a critical molecular weight transition was observed to occur at a weight-average molecular weight of ~2500 g/mol below which, the temperature sensitivity of the time-temperature superposition shift factor increases rapidly. The short-term creep compliance data were used in association with Struik's effective time theory to predict the long-term creep compliance behavior for the different molecular weights. At long timescales, physical aging serves to significantly decrease the creep compliance and creep rate of all the materials tested.

Ideal as a graduate textbook, this title is aimed at helping design effective biomaterials, taking into account the complex interactions that occur at the interface when a synthetic material is inserted into a living system. Surface reactivity, biochemistry, substrates, cleaning, preparation, and coatings are presented, with numerous case studies and applications throughout. Highlights include: Starts with concepts and works up to real-life applications such as implantable devices, medical devices, prosthetics, and drug delivery technology Addresses surface reactivity, requirements for surface coating, cleaning and preparation techniques, and characterization Discusses the biological response to coatings Addresses biomaterial-tissue interaction Incorporates nanomechanical properties and processing strategies

Mechanical testing of the elastic and viscoelastic response of an advanced thermoplastic polyimide (LaRC-SI) with known variations in molecular weight was performed over a range of temperatures below the glass transition temperature. The notched tensile strenght was shown to be a strong function of both molecular weight and temperature, whereas stiffness was only a strong function of temperature. A critical molecular weight was observed to occur at a weight-average molecular weight of ~22,000 g/mol below which, the notched tensile strength decreases rapidly. This critical molecular weight transition is temperature-independent. Low molecular weight materials tended to fail in a brittle manner, whereas high molecular weight materials exhibited ductile failure.