Stress-Softening Effects in Elastomeric Networks

Abstract

The stresses observed during retraction are usually lower in magnitude than can be accounted for from considerations such as irreversible alteration of structure due to fracture of chains or their detachment from filler particles. The mechanism underlying this hysteresis has been modeled empirically by the introduction of irreversibil ity into the damping function. In this work a modification of the damping function is proposed in terms of the reduc tion of the Mooney-Rivlin constants, during the retraction of the strain. A good agreement with the experimental data, obtained for four different networks, has been verified.