Abstract
Cords made of steel, nylon or polyester are important reinforcement components used in tire industry. The bond strength between the cords and the rubber matrix is closely related to the surface properties of the cord fibers. Previous research revealed Ultraviolet (UV) laser-induced characteristic topography on synthetic fibers after irradiation, which is considered by us as an advantageous factor in developing bonding strength between fiber-rubber composites. We applied various UV laser treatments on the surfaces of nylon fibers in order to obtain similar topographic features. Adhesion is affected by the valleys and peaks that form on the surface of the fibers by laser radiation. In this study, nylon cords were irradiated with different number of UV pulses using an excimer laser to understand the effect of the laser beam on nylon fiber-rubber adhesion. A fiber pull-out test method developed by our research group for bonding strength of nylon cord fibers to carbon black filled and vulcanized natural rubber was utilized in pull-out configuration. The results showed that the maximum pull-out load was reached at 300 laser pulses and then decreased.
