Effect of carbon black and curing system on rubber–metal interface strength of automotive components

Abstract

Rubber–metal parts inside the car require rubber compounds capable of ensuring optimal function and maximum service life without interface delamination. From this perspective, the strength of the bond which is created by the chemical interaction of rubber and metal by an adhesive is decisive for ensuring the functionality of the entire compound. It is dependent not only on the choice of the right adhesive but also on the rubber compound ingredients and their amount. Here, the influence of different types of carbon blacks as well as different curing systems in combination with a commonly used adhesive is described. The durability of the metal–adhesive–rubber bond is characterized by a specially designed shear strength analysis under quasi-static loading, whereas a significant influence of the structure of the carbon black has shown. It has also been observed that the presence of monosulphidic bonds has a positive effect on the shear strength.