Tire Tread Rubber Composition Using Hydrogenated Elastomer and Silica
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing rubber compositions for tire treads face a trade-off between improving wet performance and reducing rolling resistance, with existing technologies not effectively balancing these two performance metrics.
Innovation Solution
A rubber composition for tire treads containing a diene rubber component with a total styrene amount less than 10 mass%, a hydrogenated block copolymer thermoplastic elastomer with a butylene unit content of 25 mass% or less, and specific resins such as terpene-based, hydrogenated petroleum, rosin-based, or coumarone-indene-based resins, along with silica, to enhance both wet and rolling resistance performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If silica, thermoplastic elastomer, and resin are added to improve wet performance, then wet grip performance is improved, but rolling resistance increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by precisely controlling the styrene content (0.1-10 mass%), thermoplastic elastomer amount (1-20 parts by mass per 100 parts rubber), and resin softening point (90-160°C) to optimize the balance between wet grip performance and rolling resistance. This quantitative parameter optimization allows simultaneous improvement of both performance metrics.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite materials by combining diene rubber with specific amounts of silica, thermoplastic elastomer, and resin to create a multi-component system. This composite approach enables the tread to exhibit both high wet grip performance and low rolling resistance through synergistic interactions between components.
2Loss of energy
If thermoplastic elastomer with high butylene unit content is used, then rolling resistance performance improves, but wet performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by limiting the butylene unit content to 25 mass% or less in the thermoplastic elastomer. This specific parameter constraint ensures that the thermoplastic elastomer contributes to low rolling resistance while maintaining adequate wet performance, resolving the trade-off between these two properties.
3Loss of energy
If total styrene amount in rubber component is reduced below 10 mass%, then rolling resistance decreases, but achieving both wet performance and low loss property becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by optimizing the styrene content range (0.1-10 mass%) and combining it with specific thermoplastic elastomer and resin selections. This parameter optimization enables the rubber composition to achieve both low rolling resistance and high wet grip performance simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite materials to compensate for the reduced styrene content. By incorporating specific thermoplastic elastomers and resins in controlled amounts, the composition maintains wet performance while benefiting from the lower styrene content that reduces rolling 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 composition achieves an improved balance between wet performance and rolling resistance, maintaining low-temperature properties and enhancing tire performance without compromising on either metric.
Implementation Method 1
a thermoplastic elastomer obtained by hydrogenation of a block copolymer of a styrene-based monomer and a diene monomer
Implementation Method 2
a thermoplastic elastomer showing a tan δ peak value in the range of −20 to 20° C. and having a peak value thereof of 1 or more
Implementation Method 3
adding a specific amount of silica and a resin such as C5-based resin to a rubber component containing a butadiene rubber
Implementation Method 4
a tackifying resin having a softening point of 90 to 160° C. may be further added
Data Source
AI summary
The rubber composition for a tire tread according to the embodiment contains a diene rubber component, a thermoplastic elastomer, a resin, and silica. The diene rubber component has a total styrene amount of less than 10 mass %. The thermoplastic elastomer is obtained by hydrogenation of a block copolymer of a styrene-based monomer and a diene monomer and has a butylene unit content of 25 mass % or less based on the total mass of the ethylene unit and the butylene unit. The resin is at least one selected from the group consisting of a terpene-based resin, a non-hydrogenated petroleum resin, a hydrogenated petroleum resin having a softening point of 115° C. or higher, a rosin-based resin, and a coumarone-indene-based resin. The amount of the thermoplastic elastomer is 1 to 20 parts by mass based on 100 parts by mass of the diene rubber component.