Stress Relaxation in Compression of Rubber and Synthetic-Rubber Vulcanizates Immersed in Oil

Stress relaxation in compression in air has been studied for compounds of various polymers. However, rubber seals, gaskets, and other applications are widely used where swelling agents, such as oil, are encountered. It was thought desirable to measure the stress-relaxation properties of various rubbers to determine their performance under such conditions. The results show that continuous stress relaxation is inhibited by the presence of oil and that unconfined swelling measurements predict the degree of inhibition directly. The variables of temperature and type of oil were investigated.