The Effect of Carbon Black Parameters on the Fatigue Life of Filled Rubber Compounds

Abstract

Fatigue is defined as decay caused by cyclic deformations at an amplitude less than necessary for fracture in one cycle. Such failures are initiated by flaws which act as stress concentrators. These flaws occur in the material either through mechanical or chemical action during service or through agglomeration of certain ingredients during mixing and fabrication. This paper deals with the latter process, where the nature and size of the flaws as well as the properties of the matrix are contingent on carbon black variables. Using the tearing energy concept of fatigue developed by Lake and Lindley, it was shown that the size of the flaw is primarily determined by carbon black particle size. On the other hand, the cut growth constant depends on carbon black structure. When translated to actual fatigue life using the Monsanto Fatigue-to-Failure Tester, these relationships mean that under constant strain conditions, compounds containing coarse carbons will have a significantly higher fatigue life than those with fine carbons. Under conditions of constant strain, higher structure carbons will impart a slight positive effect. However, under conditions of constant stress, the beneficial effects of structure become magnified. Other factors known to affect fatigue life were also considered. These are : set, stress relaxation, hysteretic energy dissipation, and flaw size distribution.

The Fatigue Behaviour of Filled Epoxidized Natural Rubber Compounds

“…Similar mode of fractures have been observed for silica and carbon black filled vulcanizates [ 151. This observation also agrees well with earlier investigation reported by Dizon et al [16] and Gent et al [17] for cut growth from flaws on die-stamped dumbell test pieces subjected to dynamic tests.…”

Crack initiation and propagation in circular rubber bearings subjected to cyclic compression

“…Also, the orientation of maximum cracking energy density is the direction of maximum principal tensile stress if there is no relatively larger pre‐existing crack in rubbery materials. Intrinsic flaws in rubbery materials resulting from manufacturing were observed by many researchers 7–10. The size of intrinsic flaws plays an important role in determining the fatigue lives of rubbery materials 11–13.…”

Reinforcement of Elastomers by Particulate Fillers

“…The effects of carbon black properties on fatigue life (cycles to catastrophic failure) are illustrated in Table III [95]. The former is the growth of a deliberately introduced cut on repeated cyclic deformation of insufficient magnitude to cause immediate failure.…”