A NUMERICAL STUDY OF CAVITATION AND YIELD IN AMORPHOUS POLYMER-RUBBERBLENDS

A numerical study is presented of cavitation and yield in amorphous po lymer-rubber blends in terms of a unit cell model involving an initial ly voided ruber particle. The particle is described by a non-Gaussian rubber elasticity model, while the glassy matrix is described by a mat erial model featuring time-dependent yield, followed by intrinsic soft ening and subsequent strain hardening. Large strain, finite element an alyses are reported which give a detailed view on the growth of the vo id in the rubber particle in concurrence with progressive plastic defo rmation in the matrix. The study focusses on the effect of the rubber particle properties on the growth of the initially cavitated particle. The results indicate that below a certain value for the rubber modulu s, the particle behaves as a void, whereas above that value the rubber will tend to increasingly suppress plasticity and void growth.