Rubbers and Elastomers

Abstract

Elastomers are composed of a network of chemically or physically linked macromolecules and are characterised by low stiffness and large deformability. This chapter begins with a discussion of historic and recent applications of elastomers. TEM micrographs are used to show the arrangements of several rubber constituents and filler types using cryoultrathin sections. A special preparation technique, soft matrix fracture, is illustrated, which shows filler particles on fracture surfaces with improved contrast in the SEM. A description of how filler particles, which producemicro- and nanovoids in the rubber matrix, can be studied by in situ deformation tests in ESEM is then provided.