Invariance of the Payne Effect with Respect to Changes in Temperature and Frequency

Abstract The Payne effect refers to the dynamic strain softening phenomenon of filled elastomers. Conventional understanding suggests that the Payne effect weakens with rising temperature, as thermal energy enhances polymer chain mobility and disrupts filler-filler networks, thereby reducing rigidity and hysteretic softening. The present work, however, provides a more refined perspective. Use ring-shaped specimens to ensure uniform deformation, dynamic modulus data were obtained through carefully designed experiments, and plotted on dual-logarithmic scales. Across a wide range of temperatures and frequencies, the softening curves retain their shape and relative magnitude, shifting only vertically with changes in test conditions. This invariance holds in both linear and nonlinear regimes, indicating that the Payne effect does not diminish in form but instead undergoes a rescaling of modulus values. Temperature and frequency act merely as displacement factors, leaving the fundamental nonlinear viscoelastic response intact. These findings challenge prevailing interpretations and suggest a deeper universality in the Payne effect, which has significant implications for theoretical modeling and the design of high-performance rubber materials.