Polymeric reinforcements are commonly used to strengthen rubber articles. For instance, rubber articles are commonly reinforced with high strength cords, polymeric fabric and/or short fibers. It is often difficult to attain a high level of adhesion between such reinforcements and rubber compositions. This is especially true in cases where difficult to bond materials, such as polyaramide fibers, are employed. By utilizing the process of this invention, the adhesion between polymeric reinforcements and rubber compositions can be greatly improved. This invention more specifically discloses a process for preparing a rubber article containing a polymeric reinforcement which comprises: (1) plasma treating the polymeric reinforcement in a manner whereby reactive groups containing Zerewitinoff active hydrogen atoms are bonded to the surface thereof; (2) incorporating the polymeric reinforcement having Zerewitinoff active hydrogen atoms bonded to the surface thereof into an uncured rubber composition, wherein said rubber composition has pendant blocked isocyanate groups bound thereto; and (3) curing the uncured rubber into the desired shape for the rubber article at an elevated temperature sufficient to deblock the isocyanate groups bonded to the uncured rubber allowing for the isocyanate groups to react with the Zerewitinoff active hydrogen atoms bonded to the surface of the polymeric reinforcement.
聚合物加固剂通常用于加固橡胶制品。例如,橡胶制品通常使用高强度绳索、聚合织物和/或短纤维进行加固。此类补强材料与橡胶成分之间通常难以达到高度粘合。在使用聚酰胺纤维等难以粘合的材料时,情况尤其如此。通过使用本发明的工艺,可大大提高聚合物增强剂与橡胶组合物之间的粘合力。本发明更具体地公开了一种制备含有聚合补强材料的橡胶制品的工艺,该工艺包括:(1) 等离子处理聚合物补强体,使其表面键合含有 Zerewitinoff 活性氢原子的反应基团;(2) 将表面键合有 Zerewitinoff 活性氢原子的聚合物补强体加入未
硫化橡胶组合物中,其中所述橡胶组合物结合有悬臂封端
异氰酸酯基团;(3) 在高温下将未固化橡胶固化成橡胶制品所需的形状,使其足以解除与未固化橡胶结合的
异氰酸酯基团的阻塞,从而使
异氰酸酯基团与聚合物补强体表面结合的 Zerewitinoff 活性氢原子发生反应。