Relationship between the Deformation Processes Occurring in Rubbers and Their Molecular Structure

Abstract

Based on measurements of rubber hysteresis curves, the relationship between the network structure of elastomers and their mechanical behavior is analyzed. On the basis of the classical theory of rubber elasticity, the Flory corrections, which take into account physical cross-links in the elastomer network structures in the course of straining a rubber sample at a constant rate, were calculated. To this end, the Frenkel-Eyring thermal-fluctuation theory was used, also taking into account the activation energy of the polymer viscosity, which depends on the entropic elasticity of macromolecules in the processes of their flow and deformation. Flory corrections were calculated within the standard linear solid model.

Keywords:

• entropic elasticity of macromolecules
• Eyring’s viscosity theory
• Flory’s corrections factor
• hysteresis curves
• physical cross-links of elastomers networks
• relation between the elastomer structure and their deformation properties

Acknowledgements

The author expresses his sincere gratitude to Prof. Dr. B. Voigt and Dr. K. Schneider for helping him to conduct the experimental measurements of rubber hysteresis. The author thanks Dr. Yu. Tsoglin for support and discussion of the article.