The mechanical properties of damping rubber reinforced by Wrap Knitted Spacer Fabric

Damping rubber, which is a blend of chlorinated isobutylene isoprene rubber (CIIR) and micromolecule resins (petroleum resins or rosin resins), was impregnated onto Wrap Knitted Spacer Fabric (WKSF) through solution method in order to produce damping rubber/WKSF composites. CIIR‐grafted–(maleic anhydride) (abbreviated as CIIR‐g‐MAH) was synthesized and used as a novel compatibilizer for damping rubber/WKSF composites. The loss tangent factor (tan δ) values decreased and the tan δ peak moved to a lower temperature after WKSF was added. The tensile strength of the damping rubber was improved significantly with the skeleton structure of WKSF. The addition of CIIR‐g‐MAH increased the tensile strength further. Interfacial shear strength showed strong interactive interface between the matrix and the polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fiber of WKSF after the addition of CIIR‐g‐MAH. Scanning electron microscopy showed the morphology of the fracture surface and the interfacial compatibilization mechanism was investigated. POLYM. COMPOS., 39:4434–4441, 2018. © 2017 Society of Plastics Engineers