A Comprehensive Study on the Environmental Stress Cracking Resistance of Vibration‐Welded Polycarbonate Exposed to Various Stress Cracking Agents and Temperature Conditions

ABSTRACT This paper investigates the environmental stress cracking (ESC) resistance of vibration‐welded polycarbonate (PC) in three different stress cracking agents (SCAs) with different solubility parameters. The results reveal that the established relationship between the mode I stress intensity factor of PC and the solubility parameters of the environment can also be applied to welded components. In the tested SCAs, the behavior of welded PC aligns with the behavior established in bulk material, enabling the prediction of stress cracking behavior in joint components. Furthermore, investigations reveal that the relationship between ESC susceptibility and solubility parameters is preserved at elevated temperatures.