Composite Elastomer Exhibiting a Stress-Dependent Color Change and High Toughness Prepared by Self-Assembly of Silica Particles in a Polymer Network
Eiji Miwa, K. Watanabe, Fumio Asai, Takahiro Seki, Kenji Urayama, Jérémy Odent, Jean‐Marie Raquez, Yukikazu Takeoka
Abstract
In this study, we developed a composite elastomer exhibiting both mechanical toughness and a structural color change using submicron-sized spherical fine silica particles with a uniform size as fillers and arranging them in a periodic structure in the elastomer. In this composite elastomer, the fine silica particles formed colloidal crystals in a nonclosest-packed state, so that the composite elastomer was very flexible. We showed the possibility for use as strain and stress sensors that can measure the amount of strain applied to and the stress generated in the composite elastomer according to the position of the reflection peak produced by the composite elastomer. In this composite elastomer, both the fracture stress and the fracture strain were improved by increasing the amount of fine silica particles so that the fracture energy and toughness increased. As a result, the fracture energy of the composite elastomer containing 35 vol % fine silica particles was 13.5 times that of the system containing no fine silica particles. In the stress–strain curve observed by uniaxial stretching of this composite elastomer, a shoulderlike change was observed at different positions depending on the content of the fine silica particles, and further stretching resulted in a large energy dissipation. It was also found that after being strained beyond the shoulder position for the composite elastomer containing 44.9 vol % fine silica particles, the composite elastomer became tougher than before it was stretched. This composite elastomer may be toughened by a change in the interaction between the silica–polymer interface that resulted from uniaxial stretching and a dissipation of the energy caused by a change in the particle arrangement. The composite elastomer developed by the present novel method has the ability to be toughened by being subjected to a large strain once and can be a safe material that can avoid sudden fracture.