Study on the nonlinear viscoelastic behavior of rubber composites filled with silica

Silica-filled rubber composites exhibit nonlinear viscoelastic behavior depending on filler dispersion and matrix interaction. This study investigated the effects of silane treatment on dynamic mechanical properties of precipitated and fumed silica-reinforced polybutadiene rubber composites. The silane coupling agent improved filler dispersion and interfacial adhesion as characterized by microscopy and bound rubber content. Payne effect measurements showed enhanced storage modulus and network stability for silanized composites due to better filler networking. Cyclic tensile loading displayed reduced stress-softening in treated composites attributable to minimized damage formation. Modeling using Kraus and damage mechanics approaches provided quantitative correlations between the microstructure and magnitude of nonlinear response. The results demonstrate that silane treatment optimizes the viscoelastic performance of silica-filled rubber composites.