Long time stress relaxation of filled amorphous networks under uniaxial tension: dynamic constrained junction model

Abstract

The dynamic constrained junction model, based on the equilibrium theory of rubber elasticity, is applied to study the effects of fillers on the relaxation of stress in uniaxially deformed rubbers. Only low degrees of reinforcement are considered where complications such as filler-filler interactions are not pronounced. The proposed model is based on a purely molecular picture of the network and attempts to explain the molecular origins of the deformation and time dependence of stress in filled rubbers. Comparison with experimental data on filled (poly) isoprene networks showed that the deformation and time dependence of lightly filled samples can be predicted satisfactorily by the model.