Effect Of Liquid Rubbers On The Thermal And Adhesion Properties Of The Tire Skim Compound

Abstract

Polymeric textile cords, steel cords and steel cables are mainly reinforcing materials that are used in tire production. Polymeric textile cords such as Polyester (PEs), Nylon, Aramid and Rayon are commonly treated with bi-functional resorcinol formaldehyde latex (RFL) to obtain desired adhesion to rubber matrix. PEs cords are known as their poor adhesion to both RFL and rubber compounds due to limited reactivity on the surface and poor reaction extent between methylol and hydroxyl groups of RFL. Increasing carboxyl content on PEs surface or in the rubber compound is one of the best strategies to overcome this adhesion problem. Liquid rubbers, which can co-vulcanize with solid rubbers, are also strong alternatives of process oils with their excellent plasticizing effect without deterioration in mechanical properties of the resulting material. Co-vulcanization also improves the stability of this additive and prevents possible bleeding and migration during service life of the tire. In this study, carboxylated grafted liquid isoprene rubber has been incorporated to rubber compound to improve adhesion in PEs-RFL-Rubber ternary system. Rheological and dynamic-mechanical properties of reactive liquid rubber containing tire rubber compounds have been evaluated extensively, as well as H-adhesion behaviour of PEs cord-rubber composite matrix.