Contents

•Introduction

•Mechanical tests

(Creep, Stress-relaxation, stress-strain, dynamic mechanical, and other physical properties)

•Glass transitions

Crystallinity

•Two Main group of factors which affect all of the major mechanical properties of polymers are:

Structural and chemical characteristics

Environmental (external) variables

•The main structural and chemical characteristics are:

Molecular weight and MWD

Cross-linking and branching

Crystallinity and crystal morphology

Copolymerization

Plasticization

Molecular orientation

Fillers ØBlending

Phase separation and orientation in blocks, grafts, and blends