Interactions at the interface between thermoplastic rubber and polychloroprene adhesive

The interface produced between a chlorinated thermoplastic styrene‐butadiene‐styrene rubber and a polychloroprene (PCP) adhesive has been studied and compared to the interface produced using a polyurethane (PU) adhesive. Chlorination of the rubber was produced by spin coating solutions of trichloroisocyanuric acid in methyl ethyl ketone. The adhesive solution was spin coated on to the chlorinated rubber and the interface between the chlorinated rubber and the adhesive was analyzed by infrared spectroscopy. Chlorination of the rubber produces cross‐linking of the outermost chlorinated and oxidized rubber surface, which becomes insoluble in toluene. The chlorinated rubber chains are able to migrate through the chlorinated rubber/adhesive interface and produce a cross‐linked interface. Similar interfaces are obtained with PU or PCP adhesive. However it is the addition of a thermoreactive phenolic tackifier resin to the PCP adhesive, which imparts appropriate rheological properties to the PCP adhesive, responsible for the increased adhesion properties. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.