Discontinuous deformation in an elastic material. Part 1. Energy dissipative and storage applications

The concept of energy or work dissipation from a perfectly elastic material, due to a discontinuous deformation mechanism, is developed in this study. Dissipation occurs even from a perfectly elastic material, preferably an elastomer, when subjected to a discontinuous “jump” stretch or “jump” contraction. Stretching an elastomeric member through free extension requires a large amount of work. Such a sudden jump stretch of an elastic material is difficult to accomplish and is equivalent to thermodynamic free compression of a gas. The amount of work required can greatly exceed the strain energy stored in the material if the extension were applied without the jump or “shock” process. Interestingly, only part of the stored energy is recovered on unloading the elastomer the same way (through contraction). Excess work lost in contraction dissipates as heat but is not due to the common viscoelastic/plastic losses associated with internal friction in solids. Dissipation is possible even from a perfectly elastic material. Energy values associated in this jump deformation process are independent of the stress–strain curve path, and depend only on initial and final states for the material. Heat dissipation from an elastic rubber belt is examined and some applications extended from the developed principle are enunciated. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 47:1511–1520, 2007.