Property Modeling Across Transition Temperatures in Polymers: Application to Filled and Unfilled Polybutadiene

Abstract

A new model was recently established describing the stiffness of polymers as a function of temperature. This polymer stiffness-temperature model was proven to be applicable to thermoplastics for the entire temperature range from the glassy state to the flow of the material. The present paper focuses on the potential application of the statistical stiffness-temperature model to an elastomer system. A new set of cryogenic DMA data for filled and unfilled Polybutadiene was established. The effects of molecular weight and carbon black content on the mechanical response of the elastomer were carefully studied. The polymer stiffness-temperature model was applied to the polybutadiene system and the effect of the various microstructures on the model inputs was investigated. Finally, conclusions were drawn on the applicability of the stiffness-temperature model to elastomer systems.