Multicomponent Copolymer Rubber for Weather-Resistant Tire Strength
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing rubber compositions, such as EPDM, offer good weather resistance but fall short in fracture strength and miscibility with dienic rubbers, limiting their application in rubber products like tires.
Innovation Solution
A multicomponent copolymer comprising a non-conjugated polyene unit, a non-conjugated olefin unit, and an aromatic vinyl unit, specifically with an ethylene unit, vinylnorbornene, or ethylidene-norbornene, and styrene, which provides high weather resistance and fracture strength through crosslinking and molecular chain structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If EPDM rubber composition is used, then weather resistance is improved, but fracture strength deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite rubber composition consisting of EPDM rubber (providing weather resistance) combined with a specific diene rubber containing 20-80 mass% cis-1,4-polymerized units (providing fracture strength). This composite approach allows both weather resistance and fracture strength to be achieved simultaneously by combining the advantages of different rubber types.
2Strength
If dienic rubber is used to improve fracture strength, then miscibility with EPDM deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent specifies precise compositional ranges for the diene rubber (20-80 mass% cis-1,4-polymerized units, with specific amounts of vinyl norbornene and ethylidene norbornene units) to optimize both fracture strength and miscibility with EPDM. By controlling the local compositional quality within these ranges, the patent achieves good miscibility while maintaining high fracture strength.
3Strength
If crosslinking is increased to improve strength, then weather resistance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses peroxide crosslinking at controlled levels (with specific silane content of 1-20 phr and peroxide crosslinking conditions) to achieve the desired balance between mechanical strength and weather resistance. By carefully controlling the crosslinking parameters, the patent obtains sufficient mechanical strength while maintaining good ozone and weather resistance.
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 multicomponent copolymer enhances the weather resistance and fracture strength of rubber compositions, enabling their use in high-performance applications like tires while maintaining workability and mechanical strength.
Implementation Method 1
a crosslinked rubber composition produced by crosslinking the rubber composition of <4>
Data Source
AI summary
Amulticomponent copolymer according to the present invention contains a non-conjugated polyene unit, a non-conjugated olefin unit and an aromatic vinyl unit, wherein the content of the aromatic vinyl unit is 5% by mass or more and less than 30% by mass. A crosslinked rubber composition having a high strength, as compared with the case where EPDM is used, while having high weather resistance, a multicomponent copolymer useful for producing a rubber product, and a method for producing the multicomponent copolymer are provided.