Abstract:
The surfaces formed after fracture of the joint of two polystyrene (PS) samples have been studied by attenuated total reflection Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. The adhesive joint between samples was created by pressing them one against another and holding at a pressure of 0.8 MPa and a temperature of 80$^\circ$C, which is $\sim$23$^\circ$C lower than the glass transition temperature of PS. It has been found that, after the joint fracture, the concentration of molecule ends formed after the rupture of carbon-carbon bonds in the back-bone of the PS molecule increases.