Temperature effect on rubber gasket under high-frequency load

Abstract

The performance degradation of rubber gaskets under vibration compression is faster than that under static load, and the degree of performance degradation will continue to increase under humidity and thermal environment. For rubber gaskets under a long-term service, the mechanical properties of rubber gaskets were measured after accelerated aging process with different temperature in the temperature box. The precipitates of rubber structures were detected by energy-dispersive spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Molecular chain of silicon rubber gasket quickly breaks to form free radicals under high-frequency stress, which initiate oxidation chain reaction and mechanochemical process. Surface leakage of silicon (Si) and magnesium (Mg) indicates that a larger percent of macromolecular chains are broken and decomposed. High temperature activates the molecular chain cracking or cross-linking, while high-frequency stress leads to transport leakage on chain decomposition. The oxygen diffusion rate and activation oxidation reaction were accelerated by the residual stress to rubber oxidation reaction rate.