Morphology of damage occurring during decompression in a hydrogen-exposed EPDM

The aim of this study was first to investigate the evolution of a single cavity (inflection and deflection kinetics) in elastomer matrix and to look into possible interactions with its neighboring cavities. The second aim was to address the statistical evolution of cavities fields over time and over decompression conditions. A mathematical tool (covariogram method) was used for statistical analysis. The work was conducted in a transparent unfilled EPDM.