First of all, according to the ASTM D1566-07A standard issued by the American Society of Measurement and Materials (ASTM), "Standard Terminology Relating to Rubber", the definition and scope of these two terms are analyzed. rubber—material that is capable of recovering from large deformations quickly and forcibly, and can be, or already is, modified to a state in which it is essentially insoluble (but can swell) in boiling solvent, such as benzene, methyl ethyl ketone, or ethanol-toluene azeotrope. discussion—a rubber in its modified state, free of diluents, retracts within 1 min to less than 1.5 times its original length after being stretched at room temperature (18 to 29°c) to twice its length and held for 1 min before release.The above is the definition of rubber in this standard. This definition contains two meanings: (1) it describes the mechanical characteristics of rubber materials - the ability to recover quickly and strongly from large deformations;(2) It shows that rubber can be modified (in fact, chemical cross-linking) to an insoluble, swellable state - it can be modified (or has been modified) to a state that cannot be dissolved (but can be dissolved) by boiling solvents (such as benzene, methyl ethyl ketone, ethanol-toluene azeotrope). The definition also provides a clearer explanation of the mechanical properties of modified rubber (without diluents, possibly plasticizers) - it can be retracted to less than 1 minute after being stretched to 2 times its original length at a temperature range of (18-29C) and holding for 1 min before withdrawing the external force5 times the original length.
elasticity—rapid recovery of a material to its approximate initial shape and dimensions after substantial deformation by force and subsequent release of that force.The above is the definition of elasticity, and the basic meaning is: the material quickly returns to its approximate initial shape and size after being greatly deformed by the force and then withdrawing the external force. elastomer, n—an elastic polymer.Elastomers are simply defined as elastic polymers. Based on the above definitions, we can see the similarities and differences between the connotations of the words rubber and elastomer. First of all, both of these words are only highly elastic substances, but rubber has a narrower scope and can be cross-linked to be insoluble. Materials that are soluble and swollen. Therefore, in terms of rubber and elastomer materials in the strict sense, elastomer is a term that includes rubber.
Origin of the word rubber.
Archaeological research has shown that rubber was a material made into rubber bands 3,500 years ago, used to tie stone axes and handles together, to make small balls, solid or hollow humanoid figurines (g.). heinrich, et al. reinforcement of elastomers. current opinion in solid state and materials science 6 (2002) 195–203）。Because rubber is a material obtained from the white slurry that flows from the bark of the South American clover rubber tree, it is called "cahuchu" by the local indigenous people, which means "tears of the tree". In 1493-1496, Columbus came to South America for the second time and found that the small balls made of rubber by the indigenous people of Haiti were highly elastic and brought them back to Europe as a curiose. Later, it was discovered that these rubber balls could erase the traces of pencils, so they named the material "rubber", which means "rubber" in English ("rub" means erase and erase in English). This is rubber, which means natural rubber. In 1839, the American Goodyear invented the vulcanization of rubber, which is to cross-link linear rubber macromolecules into a three-dimensional network structure (insoluble and meltable) process, thus laying the foundation of modern rubber processing industry. Later, on the basis of studying the molecular structure of natural rubber, human beings have successively invented many kinds of polymers with similar high elasticity to natural rubber, but the vulcanization process is still an indispensable unique art in the processing of these polymers, so they are also called rubber, but "synthetic" is added before rubber to distinguish it from rubber obtained from natural plants. However, in the 70s of the last century, there was a kind of thermoplastic polymer material with rubber elasticity that can be processed without vulcanization and only with a simple plastic process, and its molecular structure and processing technology characteristics are significantly different from natural rubber and synthetic rubber, and it is no longer appropriate to use rubber to name it.
Elastomer. In order to distinguish it from the general plastomer, people call this kind of polymer material "elastomer" Chinese is elastomer. "elasticity and elastic" means elastic and elastic in English. Later, the meaning of elastomers was continuously expanded in the academic community. In the nineties of the last century, rubber with elastomers.
With the development of science and technology, various disciplines continue to intersect, and there are some fields that also borrow the word rubber, mainly to express the high elasticity of materials. "Metal rubber" is a good example. In the field of damping, shock absorption and sound absorption, the elastic porous material of a certain mass, stretched and spiral-shaped metal wire is stacked and then formed by cold stamping process and homogeneous is called "metal rubber" (theoretical calculation and experimental study of acoustic parameters of metal rubber materials. Acta Acoustica Sinica 200711）。Chemists at the Nanoacoustic Laboratory in Blacksburg, Virginia, USA, have developed a new material by assembling electrolyte molecules using electrostatic attraction. You can twist it;It can be doubled;It can be "boiled" in oil to 200 and still unscathed. After undergoing these, it can quickly return to its original shape like rubber, and it also conducts electricity like solid metal. Therefore, this material is also called "metal rubber". The material has potential applications in various fields such as artificial muscles, smart clothes, and movable wings.