The Tensile Strength of Glass Yarn in Rubber and the Effects of Moisture. I
Abstract The strength of glass tire yarn depends on its environment so that testing in rubber is necessary to determine the strength of the yarn as used. The techniques described for building and testing glass yarn-rubber composites lead to tensile values of good precision. The techniques allow specification of a standard tensile in rubber for a glass yarn. Tensiles which would exist under non-standard conditions experienced in manufacturing or use can also be determined. Tire operating temperature is one use condition covered. The techniques discriminate sufficiently to show the effects of small differences in moisture level on hot tensile strength. The rubber stock used here did not harm the tensile strength of the glass yarn. The observed tensile strength increase of the glass yarn encased in rubber as compared to air can be attributed to the stress transfer ability of the rubber and to the test piece configuration. The strength of a glass yarn-rubber composite is inversely related to the level of moisture in the composite. High moisture levels in the glass yarn and rubber stock at building and cure can hurt tensile since moisture loss from the composite can be slow. Also, high moisture level at cure may degrade the resin-adhesive system of some yarns. For this particular glass yarn under high humidity, storage at advanced temperatures and/or curing into rubber permanently damages the yarn. These observations were made under absolute humidity levels not usually encountered. The question of the extent of the humidity degradation of this type of glass yarn under practical humidities will be examined. Since the tensile loss is probably due to some degradative action on the sizing or resin, it cannot be assumed that all glass yarns will behave similarly. It will be necessary to determine the susceptibility of each glass yarn to moisture.