Due to the active development of the Northern and Arctic regions, modern damping materials for transport and construction infrastructure are subject to increased demands in terms of performance at low ambient temperatures. Theoretically, it has been shown that the restriction of segmental mobility and cold crystallization of polymers lead to an increase in stiffness and a decrease in damping and sealing functions. Formulations evolve through a controlled combination of base polymers, the introduction of "smart" fillers, technologically active additives, and the hybridization of elastomeric matrices. The evaluation of the low-temperature performance of elastomers is carried out based on the results of regulatory operational tests that simulate the maximum operating conditions of the product, and thermoanalytical / viscoelastic methods that reveal the physical nature of the transition to vitrification. However, these methods often lead to disparate results, are quite complex and require special high-precision equipment. In this regard, a method is proposed for rapid assessment of the low-temperature performance of elastomers based on the temperature dependence of Shore A hardness with the allocation of the T*hard criterion (fracture HRA(T)), which correlates with the glass transition temperature Tg, the brittleness temperature and the coefficient of frost resistance. The approbation was carried out on six polymer compositions of different nature, which showed that rubber elastomers (TPRK/TPRK-D) retain a highly elastic state up to minus 60 ° C (without the HRA(T) plateau), while thermoplastics demonstrate a sharp increase in hardness with saturation from minus 20 ° C, which indicates glass transition and limitation of use at lower temperatures. Statistical consistency (σ ≤ 3.6 units Shore A) confirms the reliability of the method. The proposed method is technologically advanced, recipe-sensitive, and suitable for primary ranking of frost resistance of seal and damper materials.

Keywords: elastomers, low-temperature performance, glass transition temperature, temperature limit of brittleness, coefficient of frost resistance, express assessment of low-temperature performance of elastomers based on the temperature dependence of Shore A