Diene Rubber Composition for Winter Tire Wet Grip
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing rubber compositions for winter tires often exhibit poor wet grip and performance on icy and snowy roads due to variations in the type and amount of diene rubber used.
Innovation Solution
A rubber composition is developed that includes a specific blend of butadiene rubber, a particular conjugated diene rubber, silica, and alkyltrialkoxysilane, with precise ratios and production methods to enhance wet performance and icy/snowy road traction, featuring a diene rubber with a high cis-1,4 bond content and a specific molecular weight range, along with silica and alkyltrialkoxysilane content optimized for improved dispersion and affinity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional diene rubber compositions are used for winter tires, then general tire performance is maintained, but wet grip performance and performance on icy and snowy roads deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by precisely controlling the glass transition temperature of the diene rubber within -90°C to -50°C, the aromatic vinyl unit content within 20-40 mass%, and the vinyl bond content within 30-60 mol%. These parameter optimizations resolve the contradiction by enhancing wet grip performance through controlled low-temperature flexibility while maintaining adequate performance on icy and snowy roads through balanced compositional parameters.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite materials by formulating a multi-component rubber composition that includes diene rubber, silica, carbon black, and specific additives in defined proportions. This composite approach resolves the contradiction by combining materials with complementary properties: the diene rubber provides low-temperature flexibility for wet grip, while silica and carbon black contribute to traction on icy and snowy surfaces.
2Reliability
If the glass transition temperature is lowered to improve wet grip, then wet performance improves, but low-temperature properties deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by optimizing the glass transition temperature within the range of -90°C to -50°C. This controlled parameter adjustment resolves the contradiction by achieving sufficient low-temperature flexibility for wet grip performance while preventing excessive softening that would compromise overall low-temperature properties and structural integrity.
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 composition achieves excellent wet performance and traction on icy and snowy roads by ensuring strong silica dispersion and maintaining low-temperature properties, outperforming comparative examples with optimized component ratios and production steps.
Implementation Method 1
an alkyltrialkoxysilane represented by Formula (I)... R11 represents an alkyl group having from 1 to 20 carbons
Implementation Method 2
an alkyltrialkoxysilane represented by Formula (I)... R12 each independently represents a methyl group or an ethyl group
Implementation Method 3
Step A: a step of forming a polymer block A having an active terminal, the polymer block A having an isoprene unit content of 80 to 95 mass %, an aromatic vinyl unit content of 5 to 20 mass %, and a weight average molecular weight of 500 to 15000, by polymerizing a monomer mixture containing isoprene and an aromatic vinyl
Data Source
AI summary
A rubber composition for tires of the present technology contains a diene rubber, silica, and a predetermined alkyltrialkoxysilane; the diene rubber containing a butadiene rubber and a particular conjugated diene rubber, a content of the butadiene rubber in the diene rubber being 20 mass % or greater and a content of the particular conjugated diene rubber in the diene rubber being from 30 to 80 mass %; an average glass transition temperature of the diene rubber being from −65 to −45° C.; the particular conjugated diene rubber being a conjugated diene rubber produced by a particular production method and having predetermined ranges of aromatic vinyl unit content, vinyl bond content, and weight average molecular weight.