Engineering Commons^™

Testing And Characterization Of Polymer Laminates For Swelling, Absorption, And Cracking, Matthew W. Carlson

Master's Theses

A polymer laminate consisting of multiple layers of proprietary blends of Ethylene Vinyl Alcohol (EVOH) and Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) and used in the construction of air bladders was evaluated for hygroscopic effects driving delamination and multiple layer fragmentation. These air bladders are observed to suffer delamination during a manufacturing process that involves immersion in an alcohol/water solution. A plausible underlying mechanism is differential swelling and absorption by the laminate constituents. Both room and elevated temperature swelling tests were carried out to find the absorption and swelling coefficients of the constituents. These coefficients served as input into a Finite Element Analysis …