Functional Disulfide Vegetable Oils for Rubber Green Strength
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Solution Overview
Problem
Synthetic elastomers, such as synthetic cis-1,4-polyisoprene, exhibit low green strength, which is a critical property for maintaining component alignment during assembly before curing, leading to undesirable movement and affecting the quality of rubber products like tires.
Innovation Solution
A vegetable oil derivative with specific structural modifications, including thiolization and disulfide exchange reactions, is integrated into rubber compositions to enhance green strength. This derivative is produced through reactions with triglycerides like soybean oil, incorporating dithiols and disulfides to create functional groups that improve the polymer's mechanical properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If synthetic elastomers are used to supplement or replace natural rubber, then productivity and material availability are improved, but green strength deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the chemical structure of vegetable oils by introducing thiol groups and disulfide bonds, changing the physical and chemical parameters of the additive. This transformation enables the additive to actively participate in crosslinking reactions, thereby improving green strength while maintaining the productivity benefits of using synthetic elastomers.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite system by combining synthetic elastomers with functionally modified vegetable oil derivatives. The modified vegetable oil acts as a dual-function additive that provides both processing lubrication and green strength enhancement through disulfide bond formation, resolving the contradiction between using synthetic materials and maintaining natural rubber-like green strength.
2Ease of manufacture
If conventional vegetable oils are used as additives, then ease of manufacture and cost are improved, but green strength and component alignment are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary chemical modification to vegetable oils during the compounding stage, introducing thiol and disulfide functional groups before the actual vulcanization process. This preliminary action enables the oil to actively contribute to green strength development during assembly, rather than merely serving as a passive lubricant.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent fundamentally changes the chemical parameters of conventional vegetable oils by introducing reactive thiol and disulfide groups. This transformation converts the oil from a simple lubricant into an active crosslinking agent that enhances green strength while maintaining the ease of manufacture associated with using common vegetable oil feedstocks.
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 modified rubber compositions demonstrate increased green strength, allowing for better component alignment and processing without sacrificing tensile properties, resulting in stiffer and more stable final compounds suitable for tire manufacturing.
Implementation Method 1
the thiolized triglyceride is produced via a thiol-ene reaction of a dithiol with the triglyceride
Implementation Method 2
Disulfides of the general formula R4—S—S—R5 may be used in a disulfide exchange reaction with the modified triglyceride containing at least one thiol group
Implementation Method 3
the thiolized triglyceride is produced via direct addition of H2S to the triglyceride to produce a mercaptanized triglyceride
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention is directed to novel functionalized vegetable oils, a method of making the oils, their use in rubber compositions, and their use in tires.