Abstract
Understanding the way fillers can reinforce elastomers requires, among other things, requires a precise description of the behavior of filler aggregates when a macroscopic strain is applied. In this study, Atomic Force Microscopy was used to investigate samples of SBR and PDMS filled with silica. The samples were stretched uniaxially at different strain values (up to 145%) and imaged by Atomic Force Microscopy. The distances between aggregates were followed at the different strains, which allowed calculation of the local strains and comparison of the values obtained with the macroscopic strain value. The main results are (i) that the strain field is highly heterogeneous, depending on the local concentration of filler and (ii) that the strain undergone by elastomer chains can be very high locally, in the regions where distances between aggregates are very short.