Abstract

Polycarbonate, a widely used glassy thermoplastic polymer, is essential for applications requiring high strain rate performance. Despite its common use, there are gaps in understanding its performance, particularly regarding adiabatic heating effects. This research provides comprehensive experimental characterization of polycarbonate, integrating experimental and modelling efforts. Key achievements include: (1) a detailed assessment of quasi-static tensile tests, incorporating full-field strain and temperature measurements for more accurate material model calibration; (2) comparative compressive characterization of four polycarbonate materials under varied strain rates and temperatures, revealing the interplay of these conditions; (3) unique measurements of temperature rises during deformation in adiabatic conditions across a range of starting temperatures, quantifying the effect on the Taylor Quinney Coefficient; and (4) the use of thermal and X-ray imaging to understand damage formation in short-fiber filled polycarbonate at high strain rates. This research enhances understanding of polycarbonate materials at high rates, aiding the development of constitutive models over various temperatures and strain rates.