Compressive Deformation and Energy Absorption Characteristics of Conductive Carbon Black Reinforced Microcellular EPDM Vulcanizates

Compressive stress-strain properties of unfilled and conductive carbon black (VulcanXC 72) filled oil extended EPDM (keltan 7341A) microcellular vulcanizates were studied as a function of blowing agent (density) and filler loading. With decrease in density, the compressive stress-strain curves for microcellular vulcanizates behaved differently from those of solid vulcanizates. The compressive stress-strain properties were found to be strain rate dependent. The log-log plots of relative density of the microcellular vulcanizates showed a fairly linear correlation with the relative modulus. The compression set at a constant stress increased with decrease in density. The efficiency of energy absorption E, was also studied as a function of filler and blowing agent loading. From the compressive stress-strain plots the efficiency E and the ideality parameter I, were evaluated. These parameters were plotted against stress to obtain maximum efficiency and the maximum ideality region, which will make these materials suitable for cushioning and packaging applications in electronic devices.