Modelling the basic components of rubber-like materials

Abstract

Elastic materials are usually composed of long polymeric entangled chains of organic elements, typically understood as complex networks that can be stretched. This paper presents a theoretical study of a network described as an ensemble of polymer sections, each one modelled as a non-interacting attractive spring with constant k fixed at one spring-end and subjected to a force F at the other end. An analytical solution of the model in the canonical ensemble is presented. Monte Carlo simulations are also carried out for different values of temperature and tensile force. Then, an extensive analysis of the trends of thermodynamic magnitudes is exposed. The found qualitative behaviours are studied and compared with the experimental and theoretical results in the literature. A final proposal to add interactions into the model is discussed.