Future-Oriented Experimental Characterization of 3D Printed and Conventional Elastomers Based on Their Swelling...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Chemical Engineering

Background:

• Elastomers are crucial in applications exposed to various liquids.
• Understanding elastomer-liquid interactions is vital for material selection and performance prediction.
• Additive manufacturing offers new possibilities for elastomer-based components.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the swelling behavior of additively manufactured elastomers in toluene and water.
• To analyze the impact of thermo-oxidative aging on elastomer swelling in synthetic fuels.
• To establish correlations between material properties, swelling, and mechanical performance.

Main Methods:

• Infrared spectroscopy for chemical characterization.
• Fick's diffusion law for mathematical modeling of absorption.
• Uniaxial tensile testing for mechanical property evaluation.
• Sorption experiments coupled with GC-MS for aged elastomer analysis.
• Density and micro Shore A hardness measurements.

Main Results:

• Quantified swelling of four additively manufactured elastomers in toluene and water.
• Mathematical description of absorption kinetics using Fick's law.
• Characterization of mechanical properties (stress and strain at break).
• Detailed analysis of aged elastomer swelling and constituent migration in synthetic fuels.
• Correlation between aging, swelling, and changes in mechanical properties.

Conclusions:

• Provided recommendations for additive manufacturing processes and postprocessing of elastomers.
• Demonstrated a comprehensive method for analyzing aged elastomer-fuel interactions.
• Highlighted the importance of considering swelling and aging effects for elastomer durability and performance.