Report Type: Lab Report

Report Title: Tensile Test for Different

Plastics

Name:

SID:

University:

Department: Mechanical Engineering Department

Year: 2nd year
1.1 Introduction

Mechanical testing plays a fatal role in evaluating properties of

engineering materials which used in industrial field also
developing new materials and in controlling the quality of
materials for use in design and construction.one of the important
tests is tensile test. Tensile testing is the measurement of the
ability of a material to withstand forces pulling the sample apart
and the extent it stretches before breaking. we will apply this test
on different types of plastics materials to measure the properties
of materials. so this leads to understand plastics materials and its
properties.
Plastics materials or we call it resin materials is defined as
artificially synthesized polymers having Plasticity. plastics as
shown in figure 1.

Tensile Test

Is the most important type of mechanical test which carry on all

materials. Tensile tests are simple, relatively inexpensive, and
fully standardized. By pulling on something, you will very quickly
determine how the material will react to forces being applied in
tension. As the material is being pulled, you will find its strength
along with how much it will elongate.
 Figure 1-plastics row materials

1.2 Main Goals of This Experiment

 Study behavior and properties of plastics materials under
tensile test.
Calculate and comparing the properties of plastics materials
before and after test.

1.3 Different Types of Plastics Materials

In this experiment we will use different types of plastics

materials so we will discuss each type.

Polypropylene (PP): is a linear hydrocarbon polymer.

Polypropylene is one of those most versatile polymers
available with applications, both as a plastic and as a fiber, in
virtually all of the plastics end-use markets.

HD Polyethylene (Polythene): is one of the worlds most

popular plastics. It is an enormously versatile polymer which is
suited to a wide range of applications from heavy-duty damp
proof membrane for new buildings to light, flexible bags and
films.

High Impact Polystyrene: is a versatile, economical, tough

plastic that is impact resistant, withstanding all manner of
stresses and strains. It can be guillotined, punched or sawn
easily and the High Impact Polystyrene uses of this plastic for
all seasons is available in all the colors of the rainbow.
Literally.

Glass filled nylon-66: is one of the most widely used plastics

because of its extreme strength, wear resistance, and self-
 lubricating properties. Nylons are also known to be resilient
and non-marring, have high impact resistance has a
continuous operating temperature of about 180 F, and a
relatively light weight that makes it ideal for use in mechanical
and electrical hardware to ease maintenance and replacement
procedures.

Acrylate polymers: belong to a group of polymers which

could be referred to generally as plastics.

1.4 Experiment Tools and Equipment

Sample of different plastics materials: which we will

carry the results on it. [fig 2].
Tensile Testing Machine which we use it to test the
materials [fig 3].
Table to put and measure samples on it.
Computer: we need to link it with the machine and read
the test results.
A Vernier caliper to measure the dimensions of sample
plastics materials

pencil and paper to write the results.

Figure 2-Different samples of plastics materials

 Figure 3-Tensile Testing machine

1.5 Experiment Method

i. Prepare the samples and Vernier and put them on table.
ii. Calibrate the Vernier before using it to obtain correct
measurement process.
iii. Start to measure length, width and thickness for each
sample and write this dimensions in paper.
iv. Link tensile machine with computer.
v. Starting to fit first sample in testing machine.
vi. Run the tensile test by run the machine system.
vii. Look to the computer and save all results which appear
on the computer screen.
viii. Stop the testing and recalculate the dimensions again
and write them on paper.
ix. Calculate the area for each sample before and after
simulation, calculate elongation and other parameters.
 x. Repeat the above steps for each sample.
1.6 Calculations and Final Results

We will make some calculations to compare results before and

after test.
Using the dimensions which we typed in paper we going to
calculate:

Elongation:
Elongation depend on sample length before and after test, we
defined the elongation percentage as following,

Sample new lengthsample orginial legth

Elongation percentage = 100
sample orginial length

Original
New length Elongation
Sample type length
(mm) percentage (%)
(mm)
HD Polyethylene 80 125 56.25
Toughened
80 83 3.75
Polystyrene
Acrylic polymer 80 93 16.25
Glass filled nylon-
80 91 13.75
66

Polypropylene 80 116 45.00

The second main parameter which we will calculate is,

Area reduction:
To calculate reduction area, we need firstly to calculate original
area (area before test) and new area (area after test).
We will assume the sample area as rectangular
Original Area = (original width * original thickness)
 New Area = (New width * New thickness)
Sample new areasample orginial area
Area reduction = 100
sample orginial area

Origina New
Origin Origin New New
l widt Reducti
Sample al al thickne Area
thickne h on in
type width Area ss (mm
ss (m Area %
(mm) (mm) (mm) )
(mm) m)
HD
Polyethylen 10 4 40 4 0.9 3.60 91.0
e
Toughened 40.0
10 4 40 10 4 -
Polystyrene 0
Acrylic 40.4
10 4 40 10.1 4 1.0-
polymer 0
Glass filled 40.0
10 4 40 10 4 -
nylon-66 0
Polypropyle 15.0
10 4 40 6 2.5 62.5
ne 0

The third parameter which we will calculate is,

Tensile strength:
We calculated the error between actual strength for each sample
and calculated strength
 Tensile Strength Tensile strength
Sample type Calculated exact values % Error
(MN/m) (MN/m)
HD Polyethylene 26.65 30 12.57
Toughened
141.18 150 6.25
Polystyrene
Acrylic polymer 26.58 30 12.89
Glass filled nylon-66 78 80 2.56
Polypropylene 38.85 40 2.96

1.7 Final Results Analysis

Error Tensile
Sample type Elongation Area reduction
strength

HD
56.25 91.0 12.57
Polyethylene
Toughened
3.75 - 6.25
Polystyrene
Acrylic
16.25 1.0- 12.89
polymer
Glass filled
13.75 - 2.56
nylon-66
Polypropylen
45.00 62.5 2.96
e

Elongation:
 we notice in final table comparison that the HD Polyethylene
has the highest value and Toughened Polystyrene has the
lowest values it means long gap between them in properties,
Like stretch.

We notice also that Acrylic polymer and Glass filled nylon-66

have approximately with the same rang value it means short
gap in properties between them.

Area reduction

HD Polyethylene has the highest area reduction and Acrylic

polymer has the lowest value it means Acrylic polymer is very
hard material than HD Polyethylene.
Error Tensile strength

This error between actual tensile strength and calculated

tensile strength.
As we see in above table the Glass filled nylon-66 has the
lowest error it means actual tensile strength is approximately
equal the calculated tensile strength.

1.8 Experiment and report conclusion

Study tensile test and carry it on different plastic
types.
Know more about materials and its properties.
Experiment hand skills.

1.9 References

[1] http://www.zwick.be (Accessed: 8 January 2017).In-line

Citation:(Zwick home, 2014)

[2] Pinnell, M., Fields, R. and Zabora, R. (2005) Results of an

Interlaboratory study of the ASTM standard test method for
tensile properties of polymer matrix composites D
3039, Journal of Testing and Evaluation, 33(1), p. 12521. doi:
10.1520/jte12521.

[3] Carr, M. (2005) Tensile testing: A simple

introduction, Physics Education, 41(1), pp. 5762. doi:
10.1088/0031-9120/41/1/005.