Tensile and tearing strength of uncoated and natural rubber latex coated high strength woven fabrics

This study reports on the tensile and tearing strength of natural rubber latex (NRL) high strength coated fabrics. Plain woven Kevlar 29 fabrics were coated with pre-vulcanised NRL using single-dip, double-dip and triple-dip coating methods. The force needed to break and tear the uncoated and NRL coated fabrics were determined using Testometric Tensile Tester and observations were made on their modes of failure. Besides, a Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) also been done in order to observe the bonding between fiber and NRL. Overall, the NRL coated fabrics showed higher tensile and tearing strength in comparison with the uncoated fabrics. The tensile strength for the SD-, DD- and TD-coated fabrics were 12%, 8% and 10% higher than the uncoated fabrics respectively. Similarly, the tearing strength for SD-, DD- and TD-coated fabrics were 9%, 12% and 18% higher than the uncoated fabric. After each coating, the fabric´s areal density and thickness increases. The NRL film on the fabric surface restricts yarn freedom of movement under loading. It also assists the yarns to bunch together and resist the propagation of tear or break by sharing the load with a greater number of yarns before the fabric is completely failed. Additionally, it can be said that coating with NRL increase the energy absorption and the elasticity characteristics of the coated fabrics and preventing from severe damage during loading.