Strain rate sensitive behavior of wollastonite-reinforced ethylene–propylene copolymer composites

A comparative study of the effect of strain rate on plastic deformation behavior of neat ethylene–propylene copolymer (EP) and wollastonite-reinforced ethylene–propylene copolymer composite (EP-W) is made in terms of strain rate sensitivity index. EP and EP-W exhibit low- and high-strain rate sensitive regimes characterized by distinct deformation features. EP is characterized by wedging that leads to predominantly fibrillated mode of fracture in association with ductile ploughing, while EP-W is characterized by wedge and ridge micromechanism of deformation. The final fracture in EP-W occurs by a combination of fibrillated and brittle mode of deformation.