Theory of Mechanical Breakdown and Molecular Orientation of a Model Linear High-Polymer Solid

Abstract

A phenomenological theory of the molecular orientation dependence of mechanical breakdown phenomena is presented for a model linear high‐polymer solid. Taking into account the variation of the volume a general microscopic molecular model is first introduced. After simplification an approximation is considered. For one‐directional orientation the result indicates a rapid increase in the fracture strength as the degree of molecular orientation increases. The maximum fracture strength is found to increase to nearly six times the unoriented strength.