Synthesis and properties of nickel borate acylate as a new rubber-steel cord adhesion promoter

The synthetic method of nickel borate acylate (NBA), a kind of rubber-steel cord adhesion promoter (AP), through nickel carbonate, borate and mixed carboxylic acid was studied. The preparation of nickel carbonate could be performed through reaction of nickel sulfate with sodium carbonate in aqueous solution, in which fractional conversion of nickel was more than 99.9%. The mixed nickel carboxylate was prepared by the reaction of nickel carbonate with isooctanoic acid and acetic acid, under strong stirring for 2 h, the mole ratio of these chemicals were 1:1:1.1 respectively, and water should be removed completely by adding of inert organic solvent after reaction was finished so as to avoid hydrolysis of tributyl borate in the second reaction. NBA was synthesized by reaction of mixed nickel carboxylate with tributyl borate under strong stirring at 200–250 °C for 6 h. By detection and comparison with 680C product from Manobond Company of England, the NBA synthesized through isooctanoic acid and tributyl borate was very similar to product 680C in IR data, 300% fixed extension strength, tensile strength, hardness and cure curve, and was slightly lower than those of product 680C in tensile failure extensibility and hot air aging. The experimental results show that the prepared NBA can be used as rubber-steel cord AP. Foundation item: Science Fund of Science and Technology Commission of Hunan Province (No. 01-962-50-2) Biography of the first author: LI Xiao-ru, doctor, associate professor, born in 1963, majoring in organic synthesis and natural product chemistry.