Plasma-assisted surface functionalization of UHMWPE fiber for adhesion improvement with rubber matrix

A plasma-assisted surface modification method was introduced to enhance the interfacial adhesion of rubber composites reinforced with ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibers. First various reactive monomers were grafted onto the fiber surface via a plasma-assisted radical polymerization reaction . Subsequently, the grafted fibers underwent RFL (resorcinol-formaldehyde-latex) dipping process to bolster their interfacial adhesion with rubber. Compared with the original UHMWPE fibers, the modified fiber-reinforced rubber composites showed an increase in H pull-out force by 105.3 %–165.7 N and peel strength by 145.2 % to 10.3 N/mm, reaching the level of general-purpose fabric-core conveyor belt (≥4.5 N/mm). After the modification, the dynamic fatigue life and aging stability of the fiber-reinforced rubber composites were significantly improved, thereby enhancing the service life and safety of the composites. The results show that this method greatly improves the chemical activity, hydrophilicity , and surface roughness of UHMWPE fibers with minimal damage, rendering it a promising choice for industrial applications.