Impact Modification and Fracture Mechanisms of Core-Shell Particle Reinforced Thermoplastic Protein

Mechanical properties and fracture mechanisms of Novatein thermoplastic protein and blends with core–shell particles (CSPs) have been examined. Novatein is brittle with low impact strength and energy‐to‐break. Epoxy‐modified CSPs increase notched and unnotched impact strength, tensile strain‐at‐break, and energy‐to‐break, while tensile strength and modulus decrease as CSP content increases. Tg increases slightly with increasing CSP content attributed to physical crosslinking. Changes to mechanical properties are related to the critical matrix ligament thickness and rate of loading. Novatein control samples display brittle fracture characterized by large‐scale crazing. At high CSP content a large plastic zone and a slow crack propagation zone in unnotched and tensile samples are observed suggesting increased energy absorption. Notched impact samples reach critical craze stresses easily regardless of CSP content reducing impact strength. It is concluded that the impact strength of thermoplastic protein can be modified in a similar manner to traditional thermoplastics. Impact strength of thermoplastic protein can be modified in a similar way to traditional thermoplastics. The introduction of core–shell particles changes the fracture mechanisms from large scale, uninterrupted crazing to yielding of the matrix and cavitation of particles (caused by a plane strain to plane stress transition in the matrix), allowing greater levels of energy to be absorbed during fracture.