Plasma etching-assisted polymerizable deep eutectic solvents for efficient construction of aramid fiber surface coatings enhancing aramid fiber/natural rubber interfacial bonding properties

Abstract

In this study, plasma etching and polymerizable deep eutectic solvents (PDES) were employed to construct in-situ aramid fiber (AF) surface coatings, enhancing interfacial bonding with natural rubber (NR). Plasma etching heightened AF surface roughness, and PDES coating further increased roughness while forming a cross-linking network, forming the interfacial modulus gradient and mitigating stress concentration. The successful plasma etching and PDES coating were validated through FTIR spectroscopy, XPS, thermogravimetric analysis, SEM, TEM, AFM, etc. H pull-out experiments demonstrated improved interfacial bonding, with AF-PDES-3 exhibiting a 156.98 % increase in H pull-out force (15.83 N) compared to the original AF fiber. Consequently, plasma etching-assisted polymerizable deep eutectic solvents in-situ coating enhances AF/NR interfacial bonding, offering potential for aerospace tires and other applications.