Heat Turns Polycarbonate Composites Brittle, Shortening Product Lifespan
Polycarbonate composites are commonly used in products like Hard Disk Drives, but heat can make them brittle. Researchers studied how heat and time affect these composites. They baked samples at different temperatures and times and found that longer exposure to higher temperatures made the material go from flexible to breakable. Surprisingly, the structure and composition of the composite didn't change, but the heat caused the molecules to move around more, making the material less flexible.