A new approach to treating plastic strain in glassy polymers

A new deformation mechanism of glassy polymers is suggested. The approach is based on experimental data obtained in deformation calorimetric studies, residual strain e res recovery rate measurements, thermally stimulated creep, DSC, and others. Work and heat of deforming a sample were measured, and the concomitant variation of internal energy was calculated. A large number of glassy polymers and blends were examined. It was found that from the very start of the deformation, a rather large fraction of the work is converted to internal energy of the polymer, which suggests that essential rearrangemenu of its structure occur