Evidence for chemical bond formation at rubber-brass interface: Photoelectron spectroscopy study of bonding interaction between copper sulfide and model molecules of natural rubber
Strong adhesion between rubber and brass has been considered to arise mainly from the mechanical interaction, which is characterized by dendritic interlocking at the interface. In order to examine a possible contribution of the chemical interaction, chemical state analysis was carried out for model molecules of natural rubber (2-methyl-2-butene and isoprene) adsorbed on Cu2S, a key chemical species for adhesion, by means of photoelectron spectroscopy (PES). Absence of a C 1s PES component associated with C=C bonds and the appearance of adsorption-induced components in the S 2p region indicate that the molecules interact with the Cu2S surface via the C=C bond to form C-S covalent bonds. This proves that the chemical interaction certainly plays a role in rubber-brass adhesion along with the mechanical interaction.