An analysis of macrostructure topology of electrically conductive polymer composites with agglomerated fillers is performed. Parameters that allow the value of volume electrostatic resistance and agglomeration of the filler are determined.Structurally heterogeneous (multi-component) materials possess unique consumer properties due to a virtually infinite ability of varying their characteristics. An efficient application of these materials largely depends on an understanding of the fundamentals of their property formation and a feasibility of designing materials with a predetermined set of characteristics in the stage where their formula is developed. Solution of the problems of controlling and predicting the properties of multi-component materials requires that a comprehensive analysis of the process of structure formation be made. Inhomogeneity of the structure at the macro-and microlevels substantially complicates this solution.Currently, the set of tools for investigation of structurally heterogeneous materials is still incomplete. It is, therefore, urgent to develop new approaches to macrostructure studies. Of special concern is the analysis of structurally heterogeneous materials with agglomerated fillers, since in the latter case even minor changes in the macrostructure topology considerably affect the resulting properties. The process of structure formation in highly filled materials is even more difficult to study. Conventional approaches to macrostructure investigation are virtually invalid [1]. On the other hand, in a number of cases it is the high filling that ensures a required set of properties to be obtained. This is the case with, e.g., resistive composite materials.It is well known that with conventional control of properties through variations in filler concentration, a stable electroconductivity in operational modes (action of temperature and deformation, etc.) is observed in low-resistance materials only [1]. In [2], it is shown that a directed influence on the agglomeration -deagglomeration processes at a high filler concentration in the base material makes it possible to produce materials with a wide range of volume electric resistivity values that is virtually unvaried under a variety of operation conditions.Since the "agglomeration -deagglomeration" effect is made manifest through an action on mutual filler -matrix distribution, we formulated a problem to design a technique capable of distinguishing macrostructure topology under variation of the degree of filler agglomeration at a high concentration of the filler. Its solution relies on a hypothesis that macrostructure topology contains information on phase boundary properties. Assuming that the composition and volume of phase boundaries affects macrostructure topology of multi-component media, we may judge about manifestation of the "agglomeration -deagglomeration" effect by geometrical characteristics of the filler -matrix interfaces.The studies were performed using high-filled elastomers (80 wt. fractions of filler per 100 wt. fractions ...

It was shown that, using fractal estimates of the texture of the microscopic image, it is possible to analyse the stability of the electrical conductivity of filled polymeric materials under service effects, and to identify stable structures by different methods of electrophysical property control.

A statistical model of filled polymers is constructed based on computer imitational modeling. It can be used to construct model macrostructures for a wide class of materials to synthesize resistive composites with the desired properties.Progressively increasing requirements for products from multicomponent materials are met mostly through the development of theoretical and methodical background for structural analysis that allows key relationships describing the formation of the material properties to be established. In the applied aspect, this provides the stability of the characteristics and improves the methods and means of designing the composite materials.In the process of synthesis of new materials, the design decisions are often made based on regression models. They consider the influence of an arbitrary number of input factors and their possible combinations on an output parameter, but frequently cannot predict the behavior of materials without experimental investigations. It is well known that to regulate the properties of the material and to design it, a physical and mathematical model is preferable. However, many unsolved problems make the development of theoretical approaches to an analysis of the properties of multicomponent materials difficult. Therefore, model systems, despite certain limitations imposed on their properties, have the advantage of predicting the behavior of new materials and methods of their improvement. An important role is played by models of the macrostructure geometry that provide insight into the nature of the processes controlling the characteristics of the material [1]. A model multicomponent material is considered to be either homogeneous and anisotropic with average effective characteristics or two-component under assumption that the homogeneous and isotropic matrix is arranged inside a periodicity cell [1,2]. Many model data have already been accumulated. The problem existing in this approach is insufficiently scrutinized universal dependences that can be used to estimate the properties of designed multicomponent materials and to control their parameters. Most studies do not use the notion of random variable and the mathematical apparatus of random processes, which does not allow a great variety of statistical factors to be taken into account to obtain the desired characteristics. At the same time, the inhomogeneous structure of multicomponent materials causes the statistical distribution of their parameters that substantially influence the properties of the end product.Rubbers filled with technical carbon are widely used to manufacture the resistive products due to their considerable opportunities of profiling the end products, convenience of assembling, anticorrosive properties, and well-developed industrial production processes [2]. The main disadvantage of these products is an inhomogeneous distribution of the conducting component throughout the matrix volume due to imperfections in the technological production process, inhomogeneity of the supermolecular polymer struc...