THEORY OF RUBBER ELASTICITY

Interest in the subject of rubber elasticity is derived from two sources. The first is the need to relate the properties of a rubber to its basic molecular structure, while the second is concerned with the formulation of the properties in mathematical terms for the purpose of designing articles in rubber for specific applications. Though logically distinct, these two lines of development continually interact, and it is the purpose of this short article to indicate the nature of this interaction and the general pattern which emerges from the combination of both types of approach. The subject is discussed under headings - the statistical theory; the Money equation; general strain properties; recent development (Valanis and Landel theory).