Modeling and Simulation of Viscoelastic Deformation Behavior of Rubber Containing Fillers

Abstract

A brief review of constitutive equations based on the molecular chain network theory for elastic deformation behavior and the reptation theory for viscoelastic deformation behavior of rubbers were presented. The typical strain-rate-dependent deformation behaviors under monotonic and cyclic straining with different strain rates were reproduced and they corresponded well to the experimentally obtained results, particularly softening and hysteresis loss, that is, the Mullins effect, occurring in stress-stretch curves under cyclic deformation processes. The deformation behaviors of carbon-black {(CB)} filled rubber under monotonic and cyclic straining are modeled by using the proposed constitutive equation and {3D} homogenization method. The results reveal the mechanism in substantial enhancement of the resistance of {CB-filled} rubber to macroscopic deformation, hysteresis loss, and the effects of the distribution morphology and the volume fraction of {CB} on the deformation behavior.