Strain-stiffening elastomers fail from the edge

The accurate measurement of fracture resistance in elastomers is essential for predicting the mechanical limits of soft devices. Usually, this is achieved by performing tearing or peeling experiments on thin-sheet samples. Here, we show that these tests can be surprisingly thickness-dependent, with thicker samples being significantly stronger than thinner ones. Even for a simple geometry, direct imaging of the fracture surface shows that the fracture process actually involves three distinct cracks: an inner crack, and two edge cracks. Ultimately, samples fail when two edge cracks meet at the sample’s mid-plane. The opening angle of edge crack, $2\theta$, determines how far the sample has to be stretched before the edge cracks meet. Conveniently, $\theta$ is a material property that can be inferred from the elastomer’s non-linear elastic response. To yield thickness-independent fracture-test results, sample thickness should be much smaller than the smallest lateral sample dimension divided by $\tan \theta$. Our results have direct implications for characterizing, understanding, and modelling fracture in soft elastomers.