Projects and activities

Arrhenius project

Following the initial test programme aimed at predicting the ageing behaviour of elastomer materials, the division conducted a second test program in 2020. This was to determine if improved results could be achieved by examining the changes in various elastomer properties over time, rather than relying on traditional methods. The selected property for this study was the retained stress in compression, employing Compression Stress Relaxation (CSR) and Compression Set techniques. Five member companies participated in the testing. The findings have been analysed by Cetim.  

Concurrently, Cetim has continued its research into the ageing process and developed a numerical simulation programme to forecast the ageing capabilities at various temperatures based on the test results. A comprehensive report detailing the project activities will be completed shortly and made available on this website. Additionally, the project outcomes will be presented at the ECCMR conference in October in Oxford.

In 2025, a new test project commenced to evaluate the ageing behaviour of FKM and FFKM materials in both air and hydrogen environments. The initial compression set tests conducted in air have been completed, and the hydrogen testing phase will begin shortly. The testing programme is scheduled to continue until the end of this year.