Cyclic stress–strain behaviour of carbon black – silica – styrene
butadiene rubber (SBR) composites has been studied at room temperature. It
was found that, the hysteresis in SBR – carbon black composites is more
pronounced than in SBR – silica composites and the elastic recovery (ER) was
found to be dependent on the filler type and content. The obtained stress –
strain data for the tested samples were fitted in view of the molecular statistical
model of rubber elasticity, taking into account the generalized non-Gaussian
tube model of finite network extensibility with a topological constraint
contribution and the damage model of stress-induced filler cluster breakdown.
The experimental results were confirmed by using electron micrographs to show
the filler clusters.