Studies on the Mechanical Stress Behavior of Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) Used in the Construction of Mechanical Ring Elements

This paper presents the study of the mechanical behavior of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) during tensile tests performed at different strain rates, using standard samples. Test pieces are measured using a non-contact video extensometer. This procedure is particularly precise, as large deformities are involved. The results are compared with a mathematical model to predict the mechanical behavior observed in the experiments. The main objective is to predict the stress-strain curve at different strain rates (6.0 × 10−4, 7.7 × 10−2, 9.2 × 10−2 and 1.3 × 10−1 s−1) using model equations that combine enough mathematical simplicity to allow their use in engineering problems with the ability to describe complex nonlinear mechanical behavior.

The material constants (PTFE) that appear in the model equations can be easily identified from tests performed at constant and different strain rates. The virtual studies were carried out using the FEM program under the Solidworks software (Simulation) in which a virtual material was created with the mechanical properties of the analyzed material. The studies contain simulations of tensile, bending and impact tests according to standardized standards.