Less is More, also in Steel Cord Ternary Alloy Coated Steel Cord in Cobalt-free Tire Compounds

摘要

Bekaert has developed a new metallic coating for steel cord, that allows cobalt salts to be removed from tires, making tires more durable and eco-friendly. With a Cu-Zn-Co ternary alloy coating, the rate of bond degradation due to aging in hot & humid conditions can be significantly reduced compared to current compounds and normal brass coated steel cord. To better understand the mechanism, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) is used to investigate the adhesion interface upon hot and humid aging. In addition, it is highlighted that removal of cobalt salts from the skim compound improves its heat aging resistance, leads to slower crack growth rate and less hysteresis.