No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

Biaxial tension-torsion fatigue tests are carried out on the membrane material Nafion 115 (perfluorosulfonic acid, PFSA). This polymeric material is used in fuel cells as proton exchange membrane, undergoing frequently mechanical loading of tension and torsion during its industrial life. In order to carry out the fatigue tests on this polymeric material a self-designed and self-constructed machine was used, working under the following conditions: from 0 to 50 degrees of torsion, 0 to 60 MPa of initial tensile stresses, from room temperature (22 to 25° C) to 80° C, and two values for relative humidity: environmental and saturated relative humidity. All fatigue tests were carried out at the frequency of 1.2 Hz. This paper presents the first results, which concerns the following testing conditions: constant torsion angle of 50 degrees, 5 initial tensile stress of 60, 55, 50, 45 and 40 MPa, room temperature (22-25° C) and environmental humidity (50-60 %). The experimental results show that fatigue endurance decreases noticeably when the tensile stress increases. In the final section are presented the fracture surfaces observed by SEM, in order to investigate the principal trends of crack initiation and propagation under this modality of biaxial fatigue loading.

Fatigue tests under tension-torsion have been carried out on the membrane Nafion 115 (Perfluorosulfonic acid, PFSA). This polymeric material is a main component to construct fuel cells, used as proton exchange membrane. These membranes undergo mechanical loading of tension and torsion during its industrial life. A self-designed machine has been constructed to obtain the fatigue endurance on this polymeric material under tension-torsion and the following conditions: one magnitude for the torsion angle, five initial tensile stresses, room temperature, and environmental relative humidity, and frequency of 1.6 Hz. The experimental results show that fatigue endurance decreases with the increase of tensile stress when the torsion angle remains constant, as well as temperature and relative humidity (both taken at environmental conditions). Fracture surfaces were analyzed by SEM, in order to investigate the principal trends of crack initiation and propagation under this modality of fatigue loading.   Se han realizado ensayos de fatiga bajo tensión-torsión en la membrana Nafion 115 (ácido perfluorosulfónico, PFSA). Este material polimérico es un componente principal para la construcción de pilas de combustible, utilizado como membrana de intercambio de protones. Estas membranas se someten a cargas mecánicas de tensión y torsión durante su vida industrial. Se ha construido una máquina de diseño propio para obtener la resistencia a la fatiga de este material polimérico bajo tensión-torsión y en las siguientes condiciones: una magnitud para el ángulo de torsión, cinco tensiones iniciales de tracción, temperatura ambiente y humedad relativa ambiental, y frecuencia de 1,6 Hz. Los resultados experimentales muestran que la resistencia a la fatiga disminuye con el aumento de la tensión de tracción cuando el ángulo de torsión se mantiene constante, así como la temperatura y la humedad relativa (ambas tomadas en condiciones ambientales). Las superficies de fractura fueron analizadas por SEM, con el fin de investigar las principales tendencias de iniciación y propagación de grietas bajo esta modalidad de carga de fatiga.