A study on the nonuniform deformation of PTFE membrane during its tentering transverse stretching

• Published in: Journal of applied polymer science Vol. 116; no. 2; pp. 1124 - 1130
• Main Authors: Guo, Yu-Hai, Chen, Jian-Yong, Gao, Jing-Xin, Zhang, Hua-Peng, Feng, Xin-Xing
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company 15.04.2010; Wiley
• Subjects: Applied sciences; biaxiality; Deformation; Displacement; Exact sciences and technology; Exchange resins and membranes; Finite element method; Forms of application and semi-finished materials; Membranes; Nonuniform; nonuniform deformation; Polymer industry, paints, wood; polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE); Polytetrafluoroethylenes; Stress concentration; Stretching; Technology of polymers; tentering transverse stretching; Porous membrane; Tetrafluoroethylene polymer; tentering transverse stretching; Mechanical properties; Biaxial drawing; Experimental study; Property processing relationship; Modeling; nonuniform deformation; Finite element method; Structure processing relationship; membranes; Pore size; Oriented polymer; Morphology; Numerical simulation; biaxiality; polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)
• ISSN: 0021-8995; 1097-4628; 1097-4628
• DOI: 10.1002/app.31605

To understand the deformation of biaxially stretched polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) membrane during the tenter frame transverse stretching process, a finite element analysis (FEA) model was established to study the stress and displacement distribution during the transverse stretching. The morphology, pore size, and mechanical properties of the membrane were also characterized. It has been found from the experimental and FEA simulation results that the tentering transverse stretching of PTFE membrane is a nonuniform stretching, the stress and displacement distribution of the PTFE membrane during tentering is nonuniform because of the nonuniform deformation and the ease of yield and plastic deformation originated from the specific structure of the virgin PTFE particles. The nonuniform thickness and pore size distribution across the membrane width resulted from this nonuniform deformation was also characterized and discussed. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010