Accelerated physical ageing of poly(1,4-cyclohexylenedimethylene-co-2,2,4,4-tetramethyl-1,3-cyclobutanediol terephthalate)

Successfully evaluating plastic lifetime requires understanding of the relationships between polymer dynamics and mechanical performance as a function of thermal ageing. The relatively high T(g) (T(g) = 110 °C) of poly(1,4-cyclohexylenedimethylene-co-2,2,4,4-tetramethyl-1,3-cyclobutanediol terephthalate) (PCTT) renders it useful as a substituent for PET in higher temperature applications. This work links thermal ageing and mechanical performance of a commercial PCTT plastic after exposure to 40–80 °C for up to 2950 h. No chemical or conformational changes were found while pronounced physical ageing, measured as enthalpic relaxation, caused yield hardening (28% increase in yield strength) and embrittlement (80% decrease in toughness). Enthalpic relaxation increased with temperature and time to 3.8 J g(−1) and correlated to the determined toughness and yield strength. Finally, a 9% increase in Young's modulus was observed independent of temperature and with no correlation to enthalpic relaxation. Enthalpic relaxation followed Vogel–Fulcher–Tammann behaviour, while yield strength and charpy v-notch toughness followed Arrhenius behaviour enabling prediction of the different properties with time and temperature.