Micro‐Mechanical Modelling of Anisotropic Time‐Dependent Healing Effects in Rubber‐like Materials

Filler‐reinforced rubber‐like materials demonstrate deformation induced softening, known as the Mullins effect. This softening can be reversible in a certain range (healing). The previously introduced concept of network evolution (NE) explains the Mullins effect as the result of a filler‐polymer network rearrangement [1]. It is assumed that debonding of polymer chain segments from rigid aggregates does not effect the number of active segments. Furthermore, debonded chains are still active as a part of a longer chain. Now, considering the entropic vibration of polymer chains, entanglement of chains to the rough aggregate surfaces is assumed. This process inverse to the NE leads to a micro‐mechanical model of time‐dependent recovery of the deformation induced softening. (© 2010 Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)