Fracture toughness of adhesive joints. II. Temperature and rate dependencies of mode I fracture toughness and adhesive tensile strength

It has been known that adhesive strength shows temperature and rate dependencies reflecting visoelastic properties of an adhesive. Similarly, a critical strain energy release rate is expected to show temperature and time dependencies deformation and fracture of the adhesive occurs at the time of measurement of the critical strain energy release rate, which is a kind of fracture mechanical parameter for adhesive joints. The term “critical strain energy release rate” has usually been called “fracture toughness.” In this study, the critical strain energy release rate (GIC) of the opening mode was called mode I fracture toughness. GIC was measured over a wide range of temperatures and rates, and then a master curve was obtained by applying the temperature–rate superposition principle to the obtained data. Also, on the relation between GIC and adhesive tensile strength is discussed. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.