Effect of charges on the mechanical properties of elastomers during their aging by irradiation

International audienceThis paper presents the study of ageing under irradiation of filled elastomers, particularly aluminium trihydrate ATH or nanoscopic silica filled EPDM. The materials have been physico-chemically, microstructurally and mechanically characterised at various levels of ageing: here only results for physical and mechanical properties (at small (DMA) and large deformations) have been presented. From these analyses, the competition between crosslinking and chains scissions during irradiation was highlighted. Moreover, a strong influence of fillers on mechanical properties during ageing was observed