The effect of carbon black morphological characteristics on tear propagation in rubbers

A systematic study of surface area, structure and loading effects of carbon black in relation to fatigue crack growth and tear propagation has been co mpleted. The main contributing effects of these parameters to fracture in a n SBR formulation at constant temperature, frequency or strain rate were id entified. They were found to affect: the nature of the fracture surface, as well as the rate of crack growth (FCG) and level of tearing energy obtaine d in single cycle tests. In a classical FCG model the exponential factor wa s found to be dependent on the structure level of the carbon black. It was independent of tearing energy used. The FCG rate depends on carbon black lo ading with the other contributions depending upon method of tear energy ass essment.