Failure studies on rubber and rubber composites.

摘要

A research study has been conducted to investigate selected failure processes in rubber and rubbery composites. Specific failure modes and materials considered included mechanical tearing of rubber-coated fabrics and mechanical/thermal fatigue of carbon black-filled elastomers. Experimental efforts developed novel evaluation techniques that were used to access failure resistance of the materials, as well as to elucidate molecular structure/physical properties relationships. Results are presented in multi-monograph format consisting of a series of four interdependent papers published in peer-reviewed journals.; The first monograph measures the tear resistance of a series of polyester fabrics, of controlled fill-yarn size, coated with a compounded butyl rubber resin. A constrained trouser tear test is used to quantify the role of yarn mobility on crack-tip development and the resultant tear strength. As the area around a propagating crack is constrained, tear strength decreases by several orders of magnitude, indicating that the ability of the composite structure to dissipate energy away from the crack tip contributes more to tear resistance than the intrinsic strength of the concomitant materials.; Monograph number two continues the work of the first by developing a novel cutting technique to monitor the role of the fiber/rubber interphase during tear propagation. This approach was applied to five different elastomers coated onto one of the polyester yarns. These data show a threefold increase in strength is possible by proper optimization of the fiber/rubber bond.; In the third monograph, five different rubber bushing compounds were evaluated for mechanical/thermal fatigue resistance. Samples were dynamically excited in combined compression and shear loadings using a specially designed test fixture. Results indicated that heat build-up was a major contributing factor to the eventual failure of the materials via a complex fracture mechanism, with epoxidized natural rubber compounds providing superior resistance.; Finally, the fourth monograph measured the stress distribution in rubber blocks subjected to compression, as was accomplished in monograph four. Nonlinear stress distributions were observed at all strain levels due to a singularity at the edge of the sample. This significantly enhanced imposed loads, and is believed to contribute to excessive heat build-up during dynamic testing.