ABSTRACT
Elastomers filled with solid particles of carbon black or silica particles of sub-micrometric sizes exhibit remarkable mechanical properties (Wang 1998, Nielsen and Landel 1994, Chazeau et al. 2000). First, they exhibit a strong temperature dependent reinforcement, as measured by the ratio R of the elastic modulus of the material to that of the pure, unfilled matrix. R can reach values of the order 50 to 100 above the glass transition temperature Tg (around Tg + 30 K typically). They also exhibit a high dissipative efficiency, and are extremely resistant to both fracture and abrasion. These properties are crucial for damping materials, shock absorbers or tyres (Nielsen and Landel 1994, Payne 1962, Kraus 1978, Heinrich and Klueppel 2002).
