Rubber-based composite material and rubber article using the same

Abstract

A rubber-based composite material is provided, which can enhance the adhesiveness between a non-woven fabric and a rubber. The use of the rubber-based composite material as a reinforcing material for rubber articles such as tires and belts can enhance the durability of the rubber articles and can reduce the weight of the articles. The rubber-based composite material is composed of a non-woven fabric, a coating of a metal or metallic compound reactable with sulfur, and a rubber that adheres to the coating and that covers the non-woven fabric. The coating is formed on a surface of the filaments constituting the non-woven fabric by a physical vapor deposition (PVD) method or a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A rubber-based composite material comprising 
 a non-woven fabric;    a coating of a metal or metallic compound reactable with sulfur, the coating being formed on a surface of filaments constituting the non-woven fabric by a physical vapor deposition (PVD) method or a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method; and    a rubber that adheres to the coating and that covers the non-woven fabric.    
     
     
         2 . The rubber-based composite material according to  claim 1 , wherein the metal or metallic compound reactable with sulfur is cobalt or an oxide of cobalt.  
     
     
         3 . The rubber-based composite material according to  claim 1  or  2 , wherein a sputtering method is used as the physical vapor deposition (PVD) method.  
     
     
         4 . The rubber-based composite material according to  claim 3 , wherein the sputtering method is a magnetron sputtering method.  
     
     
         5 . A rubber article wherein the rubber-based composite material according to  claim 1  is used as a reinforcing material.  
     
     
         6 . A tire wherein a rubber-based composite material according to  claim 1  is used as a reinforcing material.