芳纶浆粕微纳米短纤维橡胶母粒的制备技术及其对橡胶增强机理的研究

This proposed project is to develop and evaluate innovative rubber composites containing uniformly distributed short fibers of aramid pulp. The applicant and the team have over 20 years of research experience in the field. This project aims at resolving the problem that high-performance short fibers of aramid pulp are difficult to be applied to the rubber industry due to two primary issues of (1) agglomeration of fibers and （2） weak interfacial bonding strength betwwen the fiber filler and rubber matrix. Physical and chemical properties of the fibers will be charcaterized by various instrumentations including, but not limited to, SEM, TEM, and FTIR. Upon the surface modification and pre-dispersion treatments, and via the processing method for pre-dispersing the rubber additives/chemicals, the novel masterbatch with uniformly dispersed short fibers of aramid pulp would be generated; these fibers would also possess excellent interfacial adhesion properties with the rubber matrix in the masterbatch. Thereafter, the reinforcement performance of such a masterbatch to different rubber matrices will be investigated. Furthermore, the reinforcement mechanism （especially high-temperature reinforcement characteristics and "modulus-hysteresis balance effect"） will be studied. It is expected that the proposed project would provide for a theoretical foundation as well as valuable experimental results for the development of high-performance rubber composites containing the short fibers of aramid pulp, and such composites would be particularly useful for such products as tires, conveyer belts, hoses, and driving belts.

本申请项目属于短纤维增强橡胶复合材料研究领域，申请者及其所在团队具有20多年的该研究领域工作基础。本项目为了提高具有超细微纳米短纤维结构特征的高性能芳纶浆粕对橡胶的增强潜力，立足于芳纶浆粕短纤维的表面物理和化学特性，采用各种材料分析测试手段，通过科学的界面修饰和预分散表面处理方法，借鉴橡胶助剂预分散母粒的制备工艺，力求制备出兼具高分散性和高界面粘合的芳纶浆粕预分散橡胶母粒产品；同时研究该芳纶浆粕母粒增强不同基质橡胶的性能，探究超细芳纶浆粕短纤维的增强机理和增强特性，尤其是芳纶浆粕短纤维的高温增强特性和"模量-滞后平衡效应"特性，为高性能芳纶浆粕短纤维应用于轮胎、输送带、胶管、传动带等橡胶制品提供可靠的理论依据和应用基础数据。

申请者及其所在团队在20多年的短纤维填充橡胶复合材料研究工作基础上，对具有微纳米短纤维结构的芳纶浆粕在预分散处理技术和橡胶增强应用方面进行了更深层次的探索和研究。本课题研究，采用各种材料分析测试手段研究了芳纶浆粕表面物理和化学特性，通过科学的界面修饰和预分散表面处理方法（黏土-乳液絮凝法和原位改性渗透隔离熔体混合法等），解决了芳纶浆粕超细短纤维在橡胶基质中难于分散以及跟橡胶基体界面结合较差的矛盾，通过合理设计配方，探索最优的制备工艺，成功制备出了兼具高分散性和高界面粘合的高活性精细预分散芳纶浆粕橡胶母粒产品，并跟嘉兴北化高分子助剂公司合作实现了产业化；同时还研究了该芳纶浆粕母粒增强不同基质橡胶（主要是乙丙橡胶、氢化丁腈橡胶、氯丁橡胶等）的性能，探究超细芳纶浆粕短纤维的增强机理，构建较为合理的增强原理模型，并通过实验验证，为芳纶浆粕以及其它难以分散的橡胶配合剂预分散处理科学和加工工艺，打下了良好基础；本课题对于芳纶浆粕微纳米短纤维填充橡胶复合材料的高效率模量增强特性、高温增强特性和"模量-滞后平衡效应"特性以及“模量-加工粘度平衡效应”特性等，进行了重点研究和机理分析；同时跟产学研密切合作企业-无锡宝通科技公司合作，开展了芳纶浆粕母粒应用于输送带芯层胶和覆盖胶的改性研究，并实现了高性能耐烧蚀输送带覆盖胶的产业化。.总之，本基金课题的研究，对于打破国外芳纶浆粕母粒产品的垄断和推进民族产业自身发展具有重要意义，为高性能芳纶浆粕短纤维应用于轮胎、输送带、胶管、传动带等橡胶制品提供可靠的理论依据和应用基础数据，进一步拓宽了芳纶浆粕短纤维的应用领域。