Characterization of micro- to macroscopic deformation behavior of amorphous polymer with heterogeneous distribution of microstructures

In the present study, we clarify the micro- to macroscopic deformation behavior of an amorphous polymer with a slightly heterogeneous distribution of molecular chains; in other words, the distribution of the initial shear strength of the polymer. The micro- to macroscopic deformation behaviors of polymer under macroscopically uniform tension and shearing, uniaxial extension of a plane strain block and surface deformation of the plane strain block under compression were investigated by means of computational simulation with the nonaffine molecular chain network model. The results revealed the onset of microscopic shear bands emanating from slightly weak points and their evolution, and the interaction and percolation of new shear bands. The effects of distribution patterns and standard deviation of initial shear strength on the deformation, the interaction of weak points, the transition from microscopic shear band formation to macroscopic neck propagation and the evolution of surface undulation under compression have been demonstrated. (C) 2001 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.