Strength and mechanisms of loss of stability on loading a microfibril of an oriented polymer

Abstract A computer study has been made of the kinetic model of the strain and fracture of the microfibril of an oriented polymer allowing for simultaneously occurring and interrelated processes of slippage and breaks of the chains. The dependence of strength on the size of the potential barriers of rupture and slippage of the chains, the distribution of communicating chains by lengths and the size of the crystallites and amorphous regions has been investigated. The mechanisms of loss of stability of a microfibril on loading have been explored.