Tinge and temperature dependent response and relaxation of a soft polymer

A comprehensive study on the compressive uniaxial mechanical response of the polymer Adiprene-L100, a polyether urethane-based rubber, is presented. Quasi-static and dynamic experiments, under compression, were performed at a wide range of strain rates (10(-5)less than or equal to(epsilon)over dotless than or equal to5000s(-1)) and temperatures (-100less than or equal toTless than or equal to270 degreesF). The behavior of the polymer was found to be nonlinear and highly dependent on both, strain rate and temperature. Adiprene-L 100 exhibited stress relaxation, dependent on strain rate, initial strain and stress levels at room temperature. The viscoplastic strain was found to be negligibly small. (C) 2002 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.