SUMMARY

Impact test is one of the ways to determine the impact energy of a material. There
2 most common method to test the impact, in the America a test piece with go trough
method known as Charpy impact test. Although this method is done in the laboratory,
and the second test is Izod method. Test pieces are consists of two polymers from the
family of polyethylene that differ by density. In calculating the impact energy, the
theoretical value is calculated by suing the equation of potential energy.
After conducting the experiment, the result showed that LDPE fracture area is
almost the same with HDPE. Still they differ from each other due to impact energy which
HDPE has a higher impact energy than LDPE. From these data taken and calculated, we
can assume that any material that has high properties in brittleness, stiffness and strength
will have high impact energy.
We were able to complete the tensile safely and we understood the torsion theory
and the function of shear modulus are much better after conducting the lab test.
 Lab Report MEMB 221

STATEMENT OF INTRODUCTION / OBJECTIVE

 To investigate the impact strength of polymers

THEORY

Impact testing

The determination of both tensile strength and hardness testing, slowly and continuously
the test piece was loaded. The impact tester was used to check the sudden tension due to a
quick blow or impact. This experiment was done by using a drop hammer as a pendulum,
which breaks a test piece. In this lab, we used the Charpy method which consists of
placing the test piece between two supports.

Test pieces

Keyhole and U test pieces give equally good results and the specific impact unit KCU
was measured in kj/m2. The U test pieces, the impact energy (impact strength, KV) was
measured in joules.

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Fig 1: Charpy method

Fig 2:

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Impact strength

In order to calculate the impact strength KCU, the pendulum potential when released, it
was first calculated

K = F × LR [1 + sin (α1 - 90°)]

The potential energy in the pendulum after it had broken the test piece was calculated by
using this formula

T = F × LR (1 – cos α2)

The energy consumed when it break the test piece was given by;

E=K–T

This formula neglects friction and wind resistance losses. For the calculation of the
impact strength KCU, the energy received was divided by the cross sectional area of the
test piece.

EXPERIMENTAL APPARATUS

Impact tester MT 3076

This apparatus was intended for mounting on a bench, with fixing holes at the front and
back of base plate. So, if it was mounted to the bench, the zero point must be set when it
was installed. The impact tester has maximum impact energy of 1 joule, each scale
division being 0.1 joules. The reduced length of the pendulum requires a test piece
smaller than standard. The impact tester weighs 30 kg and has dimensions of 195 x 315 x
590 mm.

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Fig 3:

Test specimen

High Density Poly Ethylene (HDPE) and Low Density Poly Ethylene (LDPE) were used
to perform the impact testing experiment. These test specimens measured 6 x 6 x 44 mm.

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PROCEDURE

 Due to the friction and wind resistance, the pendulum will not have the same striking
angle as the fall angle and it can be compensated for by inclining the impact tester
slightly. The fall angle would be larger than the striking angle would be less but the
scale was fixed and a non-loaded blow of 15 joules shows a value of 15 joules.

A. Setting the zero point of the start point

1. The pointer was set to 15 joules (straight down).

2. The pendulum was raised to the start point. Then, the pendulum was released
by means of the black knob.
3. The pendulum was stopped by using the friction brake. The reading of the
pointer was taken. The pointer should point to zero if the impact tester is
properly set.
4. If the pointer shows more than zero, the impact tester should be angled
slightly by inserted a spacer under the pendulum side. For free standing
model, the allen screw was screwed down by using an MOO allen key.
5. If the pointer shows less than zero, i.e. the pointer is over the scale, and then
the spacer shall be placed under the back edge for fixed models and the Allen
screw in the free standing model, was turned anti clockwise (upwards).
6. The setting was checked with an unloaded test. Further adjustment was
completed until exactly zero was registered.

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B. Testing

1. The test piece was placed on the supports so that the break indentation faced
the direction of the pendulum swing and that the indent was exactly in the
middle of the supports.
2. The pendulum was raised to the start point.
3. The pointer was set to 15 joules, i.e. straight down.
4. The pendulum was released by turning the black knob, top right. The test
piece was then being broken off.
5. The pendulum was stopped by lifting the friction brake. The pendulum was
made sure to be at standstill before the test pieces were being removed.
6. The energy consumed when breaking the test piece can now be readied
directly from the scale, indicated by the pointer.
7. The value of impact energy was noted down. The fracture area was measured,
and subsequently, the impact strength was calculated

SAFETY PRECAUTION

1. Fingers and hands were kept clear of the pendulum motion thus avoiding jamming
accidents when released the pendulum from the start point.
2. When removed the specimen, the pendulum need to make sure was stopped by
lifting the brake friction.
3. Avoiding from standing or sitting near to the impact tester when pendulum was
released.

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 Lab Report MEMB 221

DATA AND OBSERVATIONS

F = Pendulum weight = 2 kg
LR = Length of Pendulum = 38 cm
α1 = Swing of the pendulum without any sample = 1570

Table 1.0: Results of impact strength on the tested specimens

Test Fractured Area Impact Energy Impact Strength Angle after the
(cm2) (joule) (joule/ cm2) swing, α2
HDPE 0.72 0.9 1.25 135o
LDPE 0.81 2.8 3.46 126o

Observations

Initially we were already informed that the black colored test specimen was HDPE while
the white colored test specimen was LDPE. According to the data from the table above it
showed that the LDPE has higher impact energy and impact strength than HDPE. The
swing angle of the pendulum differs when the test pieces were applied and we can see the
value of the angle from the reading meter on the apparatus. Both of the test pieces (HDPE
and LDPE) broke off. And for safety measures, we had to observe a bit far from the
apparatus due to the dangerous swing of the pendulum that moves in a high velocity that
might harm us.

ANALYSIS AND RESULTS

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Weight of Pendulum = F
= 2kg x 9.81m/s2
= 19.62 N

HDPE
Fracture area = 0.8 cm x 0.9 cm
= 0.72 cm2

Impact strength = 2.8 J / 0.72cm2

= 1.25 J/cm2

K = F x LR (1 + sin (1 – 90o)

= 19.62 (0.39) [1 + sin (157o – 90o)]
= 0.608J

T = F x LR (1 – cos 2)
= (19.62)(0.39)(1 – cos 135o)
= 13.06 J

E = K–T
= 0.608– 13.06
= 12.45 J
= 12.45 – 0.9
= 11.55 Joules

KCU = 11.55 / 0.72

= 16.04 J/cm2

% Error = [(16.04-1.25) / 16.04]100%

= 92.2%
LDPE

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 Lab Report MEMB 221

Fracture area = 0.9 cm x 0.9 cm

= 0.81 cm2

Impact strength = 2.8 J / 0.81 cm2

= 3.456 Joule/ cm2

K = F x LR (1 + sin (1 – 90o)

= 19.62 (0.39) [1 + sin (157o – 90o)]
= 0.608 J

T = F x LR (1 – cos 2)
= (19.62)(0.39)(1 – cos 125o)
= 12.04 J

E = K–T
= 0.608 – 12.04
= 11.43 J
= 11.43-0.9
= 10.532 Joules

KCU T = 10.532 / 0.81

= 13.00 J/cm2

% Error = [(13-2.8) / 13]100%

= 78.46 %

DISCUSSIONS

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 Lab Report MEMB 221

Impact test is standard test a notch sensitivity containing all the three factors i.e
triaxiality ( notch ), high strain rate ( pendulum ) and temperature.
Different between Izod and Charpy method ;
In the case if Charpy impact test, standard specimen with notch in the centre is
supported like a beam loaded at the centre. The notch is in the tension side. While in the
case of Izod method, the experimen is fixed as a cantilever loaded at the end.
Charpy test has two advantages over the Izod test ;
It is easier to place the specimen in the machine, an important consideration in
low temperature test when the test must be performed within a few second after removing
the specimen from a low temperature bath.
It is also the specimen from compressive stresses around the notch, which
are produced in the Izod specimen by the vice, when we consider the complexity of the
stress distribution introduced by the notch itself.

Error Analysis:

There may be errors in this experiment. These errors could be caused by impact
tester itself. Since the tester is mounted on a table, when the pendulum is released to
swing freely the table will be rocked by the swing. The impact reading could also be
affected by errors since the pendulum is stopped swinging by catching it by hands since
the brake is not working. The errors could also be caused by the manner in which the
specimen is mounted onto the tester. The specimen was mounted using only the double
sided tape. The V-notch on the specimen was also not the same size. The V-notch on the
LDPE specimen was deeper compare to the one on the HDPE. Hence, this will also
contribute to the errors.

CONCLUSION

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 Lab Report MEMB 221

Impact test is the test to investigate the impact strength of polymer. It is also used
to study the toughness or hardness of the materials. Toughness is the ability of the
material to absorb energy before it breaks of fractures. This test measures the energy
absorbed in fracture under an impulse load. The idea of this test is how the material or
specimen reacts of a sudden tension due to a quick blow or impact.
The test completed using a drop hammer or pendulum which breaks a test
specimen. In the experiment, we used the Charpy method which consists of placing the
test specimen between two supports. We obtained different strength or value of
toughness/hardness of the material where in the experiment we used material with low,
medium and high of carbon specimen. The toughness of the weaker material is higher
because it is proportional to the total area under the stress-strain curve. This area
represents the total energy that is absorbed in fracture.
From the experiment result the easily calculated the impact strength of the
material where is shown the value of hardness of the material. The result shows that
material with low carbon is harder than material with high carbon with respect due to
each percentage different between the theoretical and experimental value where for
HDPE is 92.2 % and LDPE is 78.46 %.

REFERENCES

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 Ferdinand P. Beer, E. Russell Johnston, Jr., and John T. DeWolf. 2004. Mechanics
of Materials. Third Edition. Singapore: Mc Graw Hill. Pg. 610 - 618.

 Materials Laboratory Manual. 2004/2005. Universiti Tenaga Nasional. Pg. 25-35.

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