Energy disipation in conventional elastomers has traditionally relied on viscoelastic dissipation so that fracture toughness is highly dependent on strain rate and temperature. This cause some limitations in terms of temperature of use and impact resistance.<br/>We will address how a proper network design can lead to energy dissipation mechanisms in elastomers that are not directly related to loading rate (and temperature). Because multiple network elastomers rely on the breakage of covalent sacrificial bonds at a given strain[1,2], their fracture energy is relatively insensitive to strain rate and temperature. We will also discuss this result in light of some new insights in the molecular nature of dissipative mechanisms obtained with mechanochemistry. The incorporation of spyropyran based mechanosensitive molecules reveals how stress can be transferred from one network to the other during the fracture process and can form the basis of a fracture model for multiple interpenetrated networks.

Energy dissipation mechanisms in multiple network elastomers

2019 Spring National Meeting

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