Hysteresis in glass microsphere filled elastomers under cyclic loading

Abstract

Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), a type of silicone elastomer, is extensively used in various areas because of its low cost, chemical inertness and non-toxicity. However, pure PDMS is soft and brittle, which limits its load bearing capabilities. In order to overcome this limitation, we show that the mechanical performance of PDMS can be greatly enhanced by reinforcing the elastomer matrix with glass microspheres. Cyclic tension tests are conducted to explore the hysteretic behavior of the PDMS composites. The results show that the modulus increases significantly with the ratios of crosslinking agents as well as glass microspheres. All the PDMS composites show a clear Mullins effect. The area of hysteresis loop also shows a strong dependence on the composition of the PDMS composites. In addition, it is found that the composites have a non-negligible residual strain after unloading in cyclic tension tests. This work can potentially contribute to understanding the properties of elastomers filled with microscale particles and promote the applications of PDMS composites.

Keywords

• PDMS composites
• Mullins effect
• Viscoelasticity
• Damage