A Review of Thermal Effects on Elastomer Durability

The low thermal conductivity of elastomers means that frequently the material operates subject to a temperature gradient with high temperatures in the interior. Other times, elastomers are called to operate directly in higher temperature environments which can affect their properties or invoke aging. Thus, the temperature impact on material behavior is an important consideration in characterization and analysis. Temperature has many influences that can strongly impact structural response and durability, both in helpful and in detrimental ways. These include: elastic and dissipative properties, thermal expansion/contraction, strength and crack growth properties, strain crystallization, aging, and the resistance to thermal runaway. There are at least two parameters without a temperature sensitivity: intrinsic strength and crack precursor size. This review considers the characterization and modeling of the impact of temperature on durability, and includes examples computed with the Endurica fatigue solvers.