A novel promoter for enhancing adhesion between natural rubber and brass-plated steel cords

In this study, a conventional manobond promoter as well as a newly synthesized kaolin modified resin (KMR) were applied in various concentrations into rubber mixes to investigate their performance in improving the adhesion between NR and brass-coated steel cords. Two types of steel cords were used to prepare T-shape samples for pullout test. The samples were aged under aerobic aging conditions or exposed to ionizing radiation and the adhesion force was examined. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to obtain a general understanding of the impact of changing various parameters and their inter-relationships on the static adhesion between NR and brass-coated steel cords. The results revealed that the use of the prepared promoter has significantly resulted in the clear stability of the cure rate index of the NR mixes. Also, the presence of KMR in the rubber mix enhances the mechanical properties of the rubber to a great extent. The results showed also that the NR mixes with KMR promoter have higher adhesion levels than those of the manobond promoter.