In recent years polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) has
received considerable attention due to its special physical
characteristics such as high melting point, very good resistance
against chemicals and extremely low friction. The
complex nonlinear behaviour of polytetrafluoroethylene
remains one of the most severe limitations for its even wider
use in the chemical and petrochemical industries. PTFE
specimens have been tested in compression and tension at
differing strain rates and temperatures [1,2]. Experimental
tests of relaxation in tension of PTFE were developed and the
results compared with the prediction of Maxwell’s model [3].
Ratcheting behavior of PTFE has been investigated at room
and elevated temperatures [4,5]. A single specimen normalization
technique was employed to evaluate the J-integral
fracture toughness of PTFE for a range of temperatures and
loading rates [6]. Several constitutive models have been
proposed to predict the complex mechanical behavior of
thermoplastic and thermoset materials. Strain rate and