Time‐ and Temperature‐Dependent Fracture Mechanics of Polymers: General Aspects at Monotonic Quasi‐Static and Impact Loading Conditions

Well‐defined correlations exist between the maxima in mechanical loss factor and the local maxima in temperature‐ or loading‐speed‐dependent fracture toughness. The non‐linear viscoelastic fracture processes and small‐strain deformations are characterised by the same Arrhenius‐type activation enthalpies. The local increase in toughness is linearly correlated with the relaxation strength of molecular relaxation processes. Stable crack propagation can be understood as a three‐phase process resulting in steady‐state stable crack growth. The normalised steady‐state crack‐tip‐opening displacement is independent of matrix material, temperature and loading speed. magnified image