This study concerns short-fiber reinforcement of synthetic elastomer compounds, to gain insight into the behavior of short-cut aramid (p-phenylene terephthalamide) fibers on the processability and mechanical properties. Short-fiber reinforcement of elastomers is very complex, because it depends on many mutually interacting factors: fiber concentration, fiber orientation distribution, fiber length and distribution, fiber-matrix interfacial strength and properties of the matrix. This manuscript highlights the relationship between influencing factors in a S-SBR compound by design of experiments. Two 3 mm long aramid fibers were chosen: one epoxy-amine-coated and one virgin fiber without coating. To potentially achieve fiber-matrix interaction the following coupling agents were selected: Bis-(triethoxysilylpropyl)-disulfane (TESPD), S-3-(triethoxysilylpropyl)-octanethioate (NXT), Bis-(triethoxysilylpropyl)-tetrasulfane (TESPT) and an alkylpolyether-mercapto-silane (Si 363). They are compared on equimolar basis with regard to the amount of reactive ethoxy-groups of TESPD. Processing of the still unvulcanized compounds and the vulcanized rubber properties are investigated.
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