Foamed Rubber Composition Wear Resistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing rubber compositions with foaming agents have inferior wear resistance, breaking elongation, and breaking stress compared to those without foaming agents, necessitating a solution to enhance these properties while maintaining weight reduction for tire applications.
Innovation Solution
A rubber composition comprising 30% or more natural rubber, a specific polyhydric alcohol with 3 or more hydroxyl groups, a foaming agent, and a composite fiber with a hydrophilic resin coating, which improves wear resistance, breaking elongation, and breaking stress when vulcanized.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If a foaming agent is added to rubber composition to reduce weight, then weight reduction is achieved, but wear resistance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the chemical composition parameters by introducing a specific polyhydric alcohol (C) with 3 or more hydroxyl groups per molecule at a controlled content of 1 to 6 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of rubber component (A). This parameter change modifies the rubber matrix properties to compensate for the weakening effect of the foaming agent, thereby maintaining wear resistance while achieving weight reduction through foam structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a composite system by combining rubber component (A) containing 30% or more natural rubber, foaming agent (B), polyhydric alcohol (C), and composite fiber (D) with hydrophilic resin and polyolefin coating layer. This composite material approach synergistically combines the weight-reducing effect of foam with the reinforcing effects of natural rubber, polyhydric alcohol, and composite fibers to maintain or improve wear resistance.
2Weight of moving object
If a foaming agent is added to rubber composition to reduce weight, then weight reduction is achieved, but breaking elongation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention modifies the rubber composition parameters by incorporating polyhydric alcohol (C) with specific molecular structure (3 or more hydroxyl groups per molecule) at 1 to 6 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of rubber component (A). This parameter modification enhances the elasticity and extensibility of the rubber matrix, compensating for the brittleness introduced by the foaming agent, thereby maintaining high breaking elongation while achieving weight reduction.
Solution Approach 2:
The polyhydric alcohol (C) acts as an intermediary substance that mediates between the foaming agent (B) and the rubber component (A). It interacts with both the foam structure and the rubber matrix, improving the interfacial adhesion and stress transfer, thereby preventing the degradation of breaking elongation that would otherwise result from the foaming process.
3Weight of moving object
If a foaming agent is added to rubber composition to reduce weight, then weight reduction is achieved, but breaking stress deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention employs a composite material system consisting of rubber component (A) with 30% or more natural rubber, foaming agent (B), polyhydric alcohol (C), and composite fiber (D) featuring hydrophilic resin with polyolefin coating layer. The composite fibers provide structural reinforcement that compensates for the strength reduction caused by foam formation, while the polyhydric alcohol enhances the matrix properties, together maintaining high breaking stress despite the weight-reducing foam structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention applies local quality enhancement by using composite fibers (D) with specific surface coating (polyolefin resin on hydrophilic resin) that locally reinforce the foam rubber structure. The coating layer provides improved adhesion and stress distribution at critical interfaces, preventing stress concentration and failure points that would otherwise reduce breaking stress in foamed rubber.
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 described rubber composition achieves excellent wear resistance and high breaking elongation and stress, suitable for tire applications, while maintaining the weight reduction benefits of foamed rubber.
Implementation Method 1
a polyhydric alcohol (C) having 3 or more hydroxyl groups per molecule... a content of the polyhydric alcohol (C) is 1 to 6 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the rubber component (A)
Implementation Method 2
a foaming agent (B)... a content of the foaming agent (B) is 0.1 to 20 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the rubber component (A)... a vulcanized rubber obtained by vulcanizing the rubber composition... having a foaming rate of 5 to 50%
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
An object of the present invention is to provide a rubber composition from which a vulcanized rubber having excellent wear resistance and a high breaking elongation and a high breaking stress can be obtained. Further, another object of the present invention is to provide a vulcanized rubber obtained by vulcanizing the rubber composition, and a rubber product and a tire comprising the rubber composition or the vulcanized rubber. The rubber composition of the present invention includes a rubber component (A), a foaming agent (B), and a polyhydric alcohol (C) having 3 or more hydroxyl groups per molecule, wherein the rubber component (A) comprises 30% by mass or more of natural rubber based on the entire rubber component, and a content of the polyhydric alcohol (C) is 1 to 6 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the rubber component (A).