Evaluation of Mechanical Properties of Natural and Synthetic Rubber Material

Abstract

It is critical to investigate the mechanical properties of rubber materials to secure the reliability of rubber components. In this study, we performed mechanical tests of natural and synthetic rubber in various environmental conditions. The hardness, elongation, stress-strain relation, dynamic properties, and the nonlinear material constants that are necessary for a finite element analysis were determined through uniaxial tension, equi-biaxial tension and pure shear tests. The hardness of thermally aged rubber increased in proportion to aging time and temperature while that of elongation decreased. The storage modulus increased in proportion to aging time in dynamic property tests while the loss factor decreased. In mechanical tests according to change in strain, we determined the second Mooney-Rivlin and the third Ogden terms that are necessary for the finite element analysis of rubber components.