Thermomechanical characterisation of a thermoplastic polymer and its short glass fibre reinforced composite: Influence of fibre, fibre orientation, strain rates and temperatures

Polycarbonate composites are widely used in products exposed to high strain rate deformation. This paper investigates the thermomechanical properties of polycarbonate and 20 wt% glass fibre reinforced polycarbonate to provide characterisation data and improved mechanistic understanding of the response to load, supported by Dynamic Mechanical Analysis and time-temperature superposition. Compressive behaviour is characterised from 0.001 to 5000 s- 1 at room temperature and from -60 to 120 degrees C at 0.01 s- 1; and a thermal imaging camera used to obtain temperature rise data. Quasi -static tensile experiments were also performed in different orientations relative to the injection flow direction. High -rate compression experiments are performed with X-ray imaging. As well as information about rate dependence of yield stresses and softening in the two materials, these data show how adiabatic shear band formation can cause significant softening in the composite. These data will enhance application of these polymers and facilitate development of advanced thermo-mechanical models.