Abstract
Silica-filled rubber materials exhibit stress softening and hysteresis under cyclic loadings. These phenomena are usually associated with both the Payne and Mullins effects. To better characterize these properties, five model silicas were produced and used in industrial-like high consistency rubber (HCR) formulations: the native (hydrophilic) silica and four chemically modified silicas for which both the content of surface silanols and the nature of the grafted silicone chains differ. Silica - polydimethylsiloxane HCR elastomer with constant silica content and optimal dispersion was tested via static (uniaxial tensile tests, cyclic and monotonic) and dynamic tests. The Payne and Mullins effects as well as the ultimate properties were evaluated as a function of particle surface treatment. It was found that the Payne amplitude decreases with the content of grafted chains, whereas the Mullins effect and ultimate strain decrease with an increase in molar mass between crosslinks. Finally, the ultimate strength is optimal as long as silica is surface treated, albeit independent of surface grafting topology.