Development and parameterization of an equilibrium material model for segmented polyurea

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop and parameterize a time‐invariant (equilibrium) material mechanical model for segmented polyureas, a class of thermoplastically linked co‐polymeric elastomers, using experimental data available in open literature.

Design/methodology/approach

The key components of the model are developed by first constructing a simple molecular‐level microstructure model and by relating the microstructural elements and intrinsic material processes to the material mechanical response. The new feature of the present material model relative to the ones currently used is that the physical origin and the evolution equation for the deformation‐induced softening and inelasticity observed in polyureas are directly linked to the associated evolution of the soft‐matrix/hard segment molecular‐level microstructure of this material. The model is first developed for the case of uniaxial loading, parameterized using one set of experimental results and finally validated using another set of experimental results.

Findings

The validation procedure suggested that the model can reasonably well account for the equilibrium mechanical response of polyureas under the simple uniaxial loading conditions.

Originality/value

The present approach enables a more accurate determination of the mechanical behavior of polyurea and related elastomeric materials.

Citation

Grujicic, M., He, T. and Pandurangan, B. (2011), "Development and parameterization of an equilibrium material model for segmented polyurea", Multidiscipline Modeling in Materials and Structures, Vol. 7 No. 2, pp. 96-114. https://doi.org/10.1108/15736101111157064