Thermal Properties of Tire Cords and their Effects on Post-Curing Inflation of Tires
Abstract We simulated tensile properties of several heat-treated tire cords in a laboratory in order to know the carcass cords' properties in post-curing and non-post-curing inflated tires. We also compared the tensile properties of the simulated cords with those of carcass cords in tires and examined an optimum post-curing inflation condition. After curing tires, EASL (Elongation At Specified Load) of carcass cords in tires was higher than that of raw cords. Following the curing, the EASL decreased orderly depending on post-curing inflation time. Tensile properties of carcass cords in non-post-curing inflated tires were almost the same as compared to those of fully relaxed cords by heating at a curing temperature. Post-curing inflation had an effect on increasing modulus of carcass cords in tires. The effect can also be significant when tires are cooled down to glass transition temperature of the carcass cords.