The Goodyear & Tire Rubber Company

Derek Shuttleworth

Dane Kenton Parker

Thomas Walter Starinshak

Syed K Mowdood

Eilert A Ofstead

Walter H Waddell

Serge Julien Auguste Imhoff

James Christopher Kish

Jimmy L Richards

Jerry L Brenner

Anthony Hardy

Mahmoud Cherif Assaad

Yann Bernard Duval

Barry Allen Matrana

Robert Paul Wyszynski

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.

Process to produce reinforced tire cords with plasma treated fibers

This invention is directed to treating the surfaces of rubber-reinforcing materials with a gas plasma of O.sub.2 and CF.sub.4 to activate the surfaces to make them more receptive to adhesives. Optionally the surfaces of the reinforcing materials may be exposed to a polymerizing gas plasma such as a thio-carbon to coat the surfaces of the reinforcing material with substances that promote adhesion to rubber. The treated surfaces have been shown to adhere directly to rubber when vulcanized in the normal fashion.

Process for the surface treatment of polymers for

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Munroe Falls, OH, United States of America

Derek Shuttleworth