Finite element-based micromechanical modelling of phase interactions in filler reinforced elastomers

• Applicant: Professorin Dr.-Ing. Stefanie Reese
• Subject Area: Experimental and Theoretical Physics of Polymers
• Term: from 2011 to 2015
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 196288536

The performance of elastomer components such as tires, seals or bearings is significantly enhanced by the addition of filler particles leading to an increased stiffness of vulcanized compounds and an improvement of mechanical properties such as tensile and breaking strength, abrasion resistance and hardness. The influence of the fillers on the characteristic material behaviour significantly depends on the size and geometric form of the filler aggregates which vary under mechanical loading. Further important aspects are e.g. the surface activity and roughness of the fillers, the breakage and reformation of filler-filler bonds and the degree of interpenetration and pore-space filling between filler and polymer. Including these physical properties into a computational model at the micro scale we aim at a better understanding of phase interactions in filler reinforced elastomers. An advantage of the present finite element-based approach is its computational efficiency coupled with the possibility to study the influence of the abovementioned important physical parameters on the dynamic-mechanical material behaviour. Special attention is devoted to the formation of glassy bridges and bound rubber around the filler surface. Considering the glass transition temperature as a function of the distance to the filler surface the mechanical behaviour of the filler network can be well described. This step is crucial to estimate the dynamic-mechanical, the damage and finally the long-term behaviour of new rubber compounds.

• DFG Programme: Priority Programmes
• Subproject of: SPP 1369: Polymer Solid Contacts: Interfaces and Interphases