M. Brenner
Tagung der GDCh-Fachgruppe Bauchemie, Weimar, 19. September 2017

Functionalisation of fibre surfaces for textile-reinforced elastomers

ABSTRACT: Decisive for the load-bearing capacity of textile-reinforced structures is the performance of the interface. In cementitious systems, this is usually achieved by form-fit joints (e.g. carbon textiles impregnated with epoxy resin and sanded). In polymeric materials, such a stiff bond is often undesirable due to the smaller modulus of elasticity, and in elastomers it is even counterproductive. The presentation reports on an investigation into the targeted chemical functionalisation of glass, basalt and carbon fibres to reinforce chloroprene and EPDM. The fibres were modified with bis[3-(triethoxysilyl)propyl]tetrasulphide (TESPT) and 3-(mercaptopropyl)trimethoxysilane (3-MPTMS). For application, the substances were mixed with dissolved elastomer and applied to the fibres by hand. The modified fibres were then vulcanised into the elastomer in a specially manufactured mould and the fibre-matrix adhesion was tested in a pull-out test. With glass and basalt fibres, an improvement in the bond of up to approx. 100 % could be achieved; with the modification of carbon fibres, the bond can be improved by approx. 50 %.