Tire Tread Rubber Composition for Wet Grip in Cold Conditions

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing tire rubber compositions face challenges in simultaneously achieving low-temperature performance and wet grip performance, as incorporating butadiene rubber for low-temperature performance tends to deteriorate wet grip, and adding resin for wet grip performance compromises low-temperature performance.

Innovation Solution

A rubber composition for tire treads comprising 100 parts of a diene rubber component with 40 parts or more of modified butadiene rubber, 60 to 200 parts of silica, and 20 to 60 parts of a terpene-based resin with a β-pinene unit content of 40 mass % or more, which improves dispersibility and processability while maintaining both low-temperature and wet grip performance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If butadiene rubber is incorporated to improve low-temperature performance, then low-temperature performance is improved, but wet grip performance deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelow-temperature performanceVSAvoidwet grip performance
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chemical composition parameters by specifying a butadiene rubber with specific glass transition temperature (-100°C or lower) and vinyl content (30-80%), combined with precise silica particle size distribution (Dv10, Dv50, Dv90 ratios) and resin content ratios, to simultaneously achieve low-temperature flexibility and wet grip adhesion

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a composite material system combining butadiene rubber, silica filler with specific surface area (150-300 m²/g), and resin additives in specific proportions (silica 50-200 parts, resin 5-60 parts per 100 parts rubber) to achieve properties that neither component alone can provide

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Reliability

If resin is added to improve wet grip performance, then wet grip performance is improved, but low-temperature performance deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewet grip performanceVSAvoidlow-temperature performance
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The patent controls the resin content within specific ranges (5-60 parts per 100 parts rubber) and specifies the silica-to-resin ratio (5:1 to 20:1) to balance the glass transition temperature increase from resin with the low Tg butadiene rubber, maintaining low-temperature flexibility while achieving wet grip improvement

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS20240174842A1Rubber composition for tire tread and tire
Publication Date: 2024.05.30 TOYO TIRE CORP

AI summary

A rubber composition for a tire tread according to an embodiment includes: 100 parts by mass of a diene rubber component containing 40 parts by mass or more of a modified butadiene rubber; 60 to 200 parts by mass of silica; and 20 to 60 parts by mass of a terpene-based resin having a β-pinene unit content of 40 mass % or more.