Characterization of Laminated Safety Glass Interlayers: Thermorheology, Crystallinity and Viscoelasticity

Laminated safety glass enables the safe construction of transparent structures. The mechanical behaviour depends on the polymeric interlayer both in the intact and in the post fracture state. In the present work, the mechanical behaviour of ethylene vinyl acetate-based (EVA) and ionoplastic interlayers is investigated for the intact laminated safety glass condition. In particular, the influence of the semi-crystalline structure on the stiffness behaviour is studied with X-Ray Diffraction, Differential Scanning Calorimetry and Dynamic-Mechanical-Thermal-Analysis. The studies on the mechanical behaviour of the interlayer in the fractured laminated safety glass were carried out with polyvinyl butyral-based (PVB) interlayers. First, the temperature and frequency (time) dependent linearity limits are determined in Dynamic-Mechanical-Thermal-Analyses, second, the nonlinear viscoelastic material behaviour is investigated with tensile relaxation tests at different temperatures and strain levels.