Gradient of glass transition temperature in filled elastomers

• Published in: Europhysics letters Vol. 64; no. 1; pp. 50 - 56
• Main Authors: Berriot, J, Montes, H, Lequeux, F, Long, D, Sotta, P
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Les Ulis IOP Publishing 01-10-2003; EDP Sciences; EDP sciences; European Physical Society / EDP Sciences / Società Italiana di Fisica / IOP Publishing
• Subjects: 62.25.+g; 64.70.Pf; 68.15.+e; Applied sciences; Composites; Condensed Matter; Exact sciences and technology; Forms of application and semi-finished materials; Physics; Polymer industry, paints, wood; Soft Condensed Matter; Technology of polymers; Strengthening; Graft copolymers; Elastomer; Mechanical properties; Temperature effect; Model study; Dispersion reinforced material; Tensile property; Experimental study; Silica; Glass transition temperature; Mechanism; Temperature time superposition; Ethyl acrylate polymer
• ISSN: 0295-5075; 1286-4854
• DOI: 10.1209/epl/i2003-00124-7

By studying model systems consisting of poly(ethyl acrylate) polymer chains covalently bound to silica particles, we show here how the temperature dependence of the modulus of filled elastomers can be explained by a long-ranged gradient of the polymer matrix glass transition temperature in the vicinity of the particles. We are led to this conclusion by comparing NMR and mechanical data. We show thereby that the mechanisms of reinforcement are the same as those which lead to an increase of the glass transition temperature of strongly adsorbed thin polymer films. It allows us in particular to propose a new time-temperature superposition law for the filled elastomers viscoelasticity.