Moduli of Crystalline Polymers Employing Composite Theory

Crystalline polymers are hypothesized to behave, with respect to their physical properties, as a multiphase composite solid. Two experimental model systems are employed to illustrate this concept. Illustrative calculations are then presented which employ the micromechanics and macromechanics available in composite theory to develop a property-structure calculation for the influence of supermolecular structures on stiffness properties. Additional formal comments are then made upon the permissible theoretical techniques in obtaining sensible estimates of the mechanical properties of a heterogeneous material.