Elastomers are materials that can undergo large recoverable deformations, and are used in a wide range of applications such as car tyres, seals, dampers, deformable buttons, flexible hoses, etc.
Broadly speaking there are two classes of elastomers - chemically cross-linked materials such as sulphur-cross-linked rubbers, and physically cross-linked materials such as thermoplastic elastomers. Chemically cross-linked materials are able to undergo much larger recoverable deformations, but are more difficult to manufacture and recycle because of their permanent cross-links. Physically cross-linked materials are generally multi-phase materials where hard crystalline regions are spanned by soft elastomeric chains. These can be more easily produced and recycled by melting and reforming the hard regions. Elastomers are often mixed with fillers such as carbon black to enhance the fatigue properties and the stiffness.
A chemically cross-linked filled elastomer
The project is described in more detail in the following pages:
For a list of publications relating to elastomers go here.
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