Kautschuk Gummi Kunststoffe, Vol.54, No.7-8, 387-393, 2001
Characterization of crack toughness behaviour of unfilled and filled elastomers
Elastomer materials are used in a wide application range and are subjected to different loading from which material failure results. Because this failure is caused by initiation and propagation of cracks, application of fracture mechanics methods for material assessment is obvious. A short summary of possibilities for crack resistance curve determination, including alternative methods, is given. Vulcanizates on the basis of SBR 1500 with different sulphur and carbon black contents were investigated. Several fracture mechanics examination methods under fatigue, impact-like and quasi-static loading conditions were applied for describing the crack initiation and crack propagation behaviour. A possibility for determination of crack resistance curves for these materials was derived. Instrumented tensile-impact (ITIT) examination developed for elastomer testing is described. The results of the various tests are discussed as a function of sulphur and carbon black contents.
Keywords:fracture mechanics;crack resistance curve;crack initiation and propagation behaviour;unfilled and filled elastomers