Effects of Aging on the Morphology of Rubber-Brass Interfacial Layer

Abstract

Abstract Adhesion between rubber compound and brass-plated steel tire cord is crucial in governing the overall performance of tires. The rubber-brass interfacial adhesion is influenced by the chemical composition and thickness of the interfacial layer. It has been shown that the interfacial layer consists mainly of sulfides and oxides of copper and zinc. This paper discusses the effect of changes in the chemical composition and the structure of the interfacial layers due to addition of adhesion promoter resins. Grazing incidence x-ray diffraction (GIXRD) experiments were run on sulfidized polished brass coupons previously bonded to five experimental rubber compounds. It was confirmed that heat and humidity conditions lead to physical and chemical changes of the rubber-steel tire cord interfacial layer, closely related to the degree of rubber-brass adhesion. Morphological transformation of the interfacial layer led to loss of adhesion after aging. The adhesion promoter resins inhibit unfavorable morphological changes in the interfacial layer, thus stabilizing it during aging and prolonging failure. Tire cord adhesion tests illustrated that the one-component resins improved adhesion after aging using a rubber compound with lower cobalt loading. Based on the acquired diffraction profiles, these resins were also found to impede crystallization of the sulfide layer after aging, leading to improved adhesion. Secondary ion mass spectrometry depth profiles and scanning electron microscopy micrographs strongly corroborated the findings from GIXRD. This interfacial analysis adds valuable information to our understanding of the complex nature of the rubber-brass bonding mechanism.