Products containing rubber-metal compounds have become indispensable in technology. In most cases, they have to meet very high mechanical requirements, often under unfavorable ambient conditions. Special adhesives are needed to establish a sufficient bond between the chemically and morphologically completely different phases. In addition, the extremely complex system of rubber (the mixture of elastomer, fillers and additives, and vulcanization agent), metallic surface and adhesion promoter must be optimally matched.
If one wants to produce a rubber-metal element, the surface of the metallic component must be prepared in a multi-stage process. Then primer and then adhesion promoter are applied. Only then is the combination with the elastomer and vulcanization carried out. Although this complex technology results in an excellent adhesion level, it also involves numerous interferences and toxicological problems.
Alternatively, an adhesion promoter can be added to the rubber compound itself. This eliminates the need for time-consuming pretreatment of the metal surface. This approach can increase productivity in the manufacture of rubber-metal products and open up new avenues for the technological framework. The TITK has extensive experience in this area.
