Aromatic Spacer Silane for Tire Rubber Stiffness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing rubber mixtures for vehicle tires lack sufficient stiffness, which affects handling behavior, and existing silanes do not provide adequate improvements in this area while maintaining rolling resistance and wet grip performance.
Innovation Solution
A novel silane with a long and rigid spacer group containing two aromatic groups, which is incorporated into the rubber mixture to enhance stiffness and handling properties, is developed. This silane has a specific molecular structure with aromatic groups linked by units X and Y, providing improved rigidity and handling characteristics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional silanes are used in rubber mixtures, then rolling resistance and processability are improved, but stiffness and handling behavior remain insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the molecular structure of silanes, specifically introducing aromatic groups (phenyl, naphthyl, pyridyl, etc.) into the spacer group between the silicon and sulfur atoms. This structural parameter change increases the rigidity and stiffness of the silane molecule, which directly improves the stiffness and handling behavior of the rubber mixture while maintaining the coupling agent functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite materials by creating silanes with combined functional groups: a silane group (Si(OR)3) for filler bonding, a urea-containing spacer with aromatic groups for structural rigidity, and a sulfur group (Sk) for rubber vulcanization. This composite molecular structure integrates multiple functions into a single coupling agent, achieving both improved stiffness and maintained rolling resistance performance.
2Strength
If the spacer group is made longer and more rigid with aromatic groups, then stiffness and handling predictors are improved, but synthesis complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent systematically varies parameters in the spacer group, including the type of aromatic groups (phenyl, naphthyl, pyridyl, pyridazyl, pyrimidyl, pyrazyl, triazyl, quinolyl, pyrrole, furan, thiophene, pyrazole, imidazole, thiazole, oxazole), the number of aromatic groups (controlled by parameter m from 0 to 4), and the linkage types (X and Y groups). These parameter changes allow optimization of stiffness while managing synthesis complexity through selective substitution.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by introducing aromatic groups at specific positions within the spacer chain rather than uniformly throughout. The spacer group structure X-Y-[A-Y-]m-Sk allows aromatic groups to be placed locally at strategic positions (where A represents aromatic groups and X, Y represent linkage groups), providing rigidity where needed while maintaining flexibility in other regions for synthesis accessibility.
3Strength
If multiple aromatic groups are incorporated into the silane structure, then rigidity and stiffness are enhanced, but the number of possible isomers and structural variations increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes asymmetry by allowing the molecular structure to be non-mirror-symmetrical while maintaining the S k group as the center. The formula R 1[0008] In comparison to silanes known from the prior art, the silane according to the invention with the group -R 2 permits different groupings on either side of the sulfur group, enabling control over molecular orientation and rigidity while managing structural complexity through deliberate asymmetric design.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent achieves universality by designing a flexible molecular framework where the same basic structure (silane group-urea spacer-Sk group) can accommodate multiple types of aromatic groups (A) and linkage groups (X, Y) in various configurations. This universal structure serves multiple functions: filler coupling, structural reinforcement, and vulcanization participation, while allowing systematic variation to optimize specific properties without requiring entirely different molecular architectures.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The novel silane significantly increases the stiffness of the rubber mixture, leading to improved handling and wet braking indicators, while maintaining or improving rolling resistance and other performance metrics.
Implementation Method 1
The silica is bonded to the polymer(s) using such silanes, whereby the silanes are also referred to as coupling agents.
Implementation Method 2
the silane usually has at least one sulfur group that is involved in the vulcanization of the rubber mixture
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a silane, a rubber mixture containing the silane and a vehicle tyre having the rubber mixture in at least one component. The silane according to the invention has the following formula I) (R1)oSi-R2-X-A-Y-[A-Y-]m-A-Sk-A-[-Y-A]m-Y-A-X-R2-Si(R1)o, wherein, according to the invention, said silane has spacer groups between the respective silane groups and the Sk grouping, which spacer groups have at least two aromatic groups A and the linking units X and Y, wherein the groups X within a molecule can be the same or different and are selected from the groups -HNC(=0)-, -C(=0)NH-, -C(=0)0-, -OC(=0)-, -OC(=0)NH-, -HNC(=0)0-, -R3NC(=0)NR3-, -R3NC(=NR3)NR3-, -R3NC(=S)NR3-, wherein at least one R3 within each group X is a hydrogen atom; and wherein the groups Y within a molecule can be the same or different and are selected from the groups -HNC(=0)-, -C(=0)NH-, -C(=0)0-, -OC(=0)-, -OC(=0)NH-, -HNC(=0)0-, -R4NC(=0)NR4-, -R4NC(=NR4)NR4-, -R4NC(=S)NR4-, wherein at least one R4 within each group Y is a hydrogen atom. The rubber mixture according to the invention contains at least one silane according to the invention.