Characterization of elastomeric composite materials for blast mitigation

Abstract

In this work, we seek to develop elastomeric composite materials capable of shock mitigation through material design by small-scale heterogeneity. The host elastomeric material is a polyurea system that is a lightly cross-linked two-phase polymer, which consists of the diamine component Versalink P-1000 as the soft segment and the diisocyanate component Isonate 143L as the hard segment. This study evaluates the impact of additives in the form of untreated and surface treated milled glass fibers. The properties of the resultant elastomeric composite materials are mechanically and thermally characterized using durometer testing, dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) testing, and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) testing in order to determine the hardness, storage and loss moduli, and glass transition temperature of the composites, respectively. Preliminary results indicate that the dynamic mechanical properties of the material can be significantly altered through such modifications. The work described here is part of an ongoing effort to understand the impact of additives on the ultimate properties and performance of the host elastomeric material.