Polymer Engineering and Science, Vol.42, No.6, 1274-1285, 2002
Deformation and energy absorption characteristics of microcellular ethylene-octene copolymer vulcanizates
Compressive stress-strain properties of unfilled, CaCO3, Silica and aluminum silicate filled closed-cell microcellular ethylene-octene co-polymer vulcanizates were studied with variation of blowing agent loading (density). With decrease in density, the compressive stress-strain curves for microcellular vulcanizates behave differently from those of the solid vulcanizates. The stress-strain properties are found to be strain rate dependent. The log-log plots of relative compressive moduli versus relative density of the microcellular vulcanizates show a fairly linear correlation. The energy absorption behavior was also studied from the stress-strain properties. The efficiency, E. and Ideality parameter, I, were evaluated. These parameters were plotted against stress to find the maximum efficiency and maximum ideality region, which will make these materials suitable for cushioning and packaging applications. The cushioning factor, C, for microcellular vulcanizates has also been evaluated for various systems.