DYNAMIC VISCOELASTIC PROPERTIES OF SILICA-FILLED CLOSED-CELL MICROCELLULAR ETHYLENE-PROPYLENE DIENE RUBBER VULCANIZATES - EFFECT OF BLOWINGAGENT, TEMPERATURE AND STRAIN

Dynamic mechanical analysis of silica-filled closed-cell microcellular EPDM vulcanizates has been studied as a function of temperature and D SA (double strain amplitude). Experiments were carried out over a temp erature range of -100 degrees C to 200 degrees C. Strain dependent iso thermal dynamic mechanical analysis was performed for DSA 0.08% to 5%. The effect of blowing agent loading on the storage modulus (E') and l oss tangent (tan delta) are found to have a complex nature. The viscoe lastic behavior of silica-filled microcellular EPDM is similar to that of solid rubber vulcanizates.