Mechanical Testing of an advanced thermoplastic polyimide (LaRC-TM-SI) with known variations in molecular weight was performed over a range of temperatures below the glass transition temperature. The physical characterization, elastic properties and notched tensile strength were all determined as a function of molecular weight and test temperature. It was shown that notched tensile strength is a strong function of both temperature and molecular weight, whereas stiffness is only a strong function of temperature. A critical molecular weight (Mc) was observed to occur at a weight-average molecular weight (Mw) of approx. 22000 g/mol below which, the notched tensile strength decreases rapidly. This critical molecular weight transition is temperature-independent. Furthermore, inelastic analysis showed that low molecular weight materials tended to fail in a brittle manner, whereas high molecular weight materials exhibited ductile failure. The microstructural images supported these findings.Nicholson, Lee M. and Whitley, Karen S. and Gates, Thomas S. and Hinkley, Jeffrey A.Langley Research CenterMOLECULAR WEIGHT; MECHANICAL PROPERTIES; POLYIMIDES; ELASTIC PROPERTIES; THERMOPLASTICITY; TENSILE STRENGTH; DUCTILE-BRITTLE TRANSITION; TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE; FRACTOGRAPHY; GLASS TRANSITION TEMPERATURE; STRESS-STRAIN DIAGRAMS; MODULUS OF ELASTICITY; MICROSTRUCTURE; POLYMER MATRIX COMPOSITES; NOTCHES; TENSILE TESTS...