Comprehensive Study of EPDM Rubber Properties: Temperature-Dependent Stiffness, Tensile Behavior and FEA Calibration

Abstract This work examines the temperature-dependent stiffness of Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer (EPDM) rubber using tensile testing and Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA). Additionally, it provides an appropriate model for Finite Element Analysis (FEA). The tensile tests indicate that EPDM has high rigidity and minimal elongation at −40°C, intermediate characteristics at 23°C, and a decrease in stiffness with rising temperature, up to 80°C. Nevertheless, a sudden rise in rigidity is seen at a temperature of 125°C, which may be ascribed to the strengthening influence of carbon black. The DMA findings confirm this pattern, demonstrating an upward trend in storage modulus and stiffness as temperature increases. At the same time, tan delta and loss modulus fall, suggesting a reduction in viscoelastic damping. The calibration of the Finite Element Analysis (FEA) model, using the Arruda-Boyce, Yeoh 3D, and Mooney-Rivlin 5-parameter models, determines that the Arruda-Boyce model is the most precise in accurately replicating the experimental data. The results indicate that the improved resistance to heat and increased rigidity of EPDM at high temperatures are affected by its material composition. However, more investigation is required to have a comprehensive understanding of the underlying processes.