Electrically conductive silicone rubber–steel fibre composites

Abstract

Steel fibre-silicone rubber composites were prepared by two-roll mill method. Various weight fractions of fibres ranging from 20 phr (parts per hundred parts of rubber) to 90 phr, with a diameter of 7-8 mm and length of several metres were used and its influence on the surface resistance, physical properties, short-term and dynamic stress-strain properties of the composites were investigated. Addition of steel fibres renders a sharp decrease in resistance from MO to *3-0.1 kO with the concentration from 20 phr to 90 phr, respectively. Addition of 20 phr of steel fibres yields composite with a resistance of 5-10 kO, other properties being negligibly altered.