Fracture propagation pathways pattern on uv-irradiated double-edge cracked of mordenite zeolite-hdpe composites

Mechanical failure of zeolite-high density polyethylene (HDPE) material applied to skull bone implants is a material fracture that cannot be controlled. An important step to minimize failure due to fracture is to understand the fracture characteristics indicated by the propagation path pattern. This study aimed to investigate the fracture propagation pathways of zeolite-HDPE composites in quasi-static conditions. UV-irradiated Double-edge cracked zeolite-HDPE composite was tested in mode I (a stress perpendicular to the plane of the crack) in a universal testing machine (UTM) with a crosshead speed of 2 mm/min at a constant room temperature of approximately 25^oC. The stress and elongation were registered by the UTM. During loading, the evolution of cracks in the ligament length region was recorded with the camera so that the crack propagation pathway until the total fracture occurs can be clearly observed. The results show that the crack propagation pathway patterns were not all straight and parallel to the ligament length. They are also found in a deviant state of the ligament length line by forming an angle α. created between the ligament length line and the fracture propagation deviation direction. This deviation occurs after the crack propagates straight away from the initial-cracks.