BONDING OF ULTRA-HIGH-MOLECULAR-WEIGHT POLYETHYLENE TO STYRENE BUTADIENE RUBBER

The adhesion between a sulfur-vulcanized SBR and polyethylenes (PE) of various molecular weights has been determined using a T-peel geometry. When the viscosity average molecular weight of the polyethylene exceeds about 700 k, bonding is sufficient to cause rubber tear during peeling. In contrast, with PE of M(v)BAR almost-equal-to 147k, joint strength is reduced by more than an order of magnitude and fracture proceeds between the SBR and PE. It is hypothesized that the high bond strength with the ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) is due to the formation of entrapped tangles between chains of the two adherends. Consistent with this, SBR-UHMWPE bonds are not disrupted after extensive swelling in toluene.