Crack-tip opening displacement behavior based on energy partitioned work of fracture technique on ultraviolet-irradiated mordenite zeolite-high density polyethylene composites

Crack-tip opening displacement (CTOD) has been widely used to measure the fracture toughness of materials. Based on the energy partitioned work of fracture concept, CTOD behavior is able to describe in more depth the characteristics of mechanical fracture of materials. This study aims to investigate the CTOD behavior in the ultraviolet (UV) irradiated zeolite-HDPE composites. The annealed double-edge notched tension (DENT) shape composite was exposed in UV radiation environment for 50, 100, 150 and 200 hours at a constant temperature of 60^oC and atmospheric pressure. The DENT specimens are subjected tensile loaded according to ESIS protocol. CTOD was analyzed based on the concept of partitioned work of fracture. The results show that at the yielding and crack initiation stage, the CTOD value begins to increase when the displacement has passed the 0.5 mm value. At the crack propagation stage, the range of CTOD and displacement values are shorter with increasing duration of UV radiation. At the same crack extension, the CTOD value decreases by increasing the duration of UV radiation.