Thermally Expandable Microcapsule Rubber for Ice Friction and Wear
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional rubber compositions for studless tires, while improving ice friction, often compromise on wear resistance, and there is a need for enhanced performance on both ice and wear resistance simultaneously.
Innovation Solution
A rubber composition incorporating thermally expandable microcapsules coated with an acrylonitrile butadiene copolymer and/or its crosslinked body, combined with a non-ionic surfactant and polymer microparticles, to enhance ice friction and wear resistance by improving the absorption of water and distributing stress.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If thermally expandable microcapsules are blended in rubber composition to improve ice friction, then performance on ice is improved, but wear resistance performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite structure where thermally expandable microcapsules are embedded within an acrylonitrile butadiene copolymer matrix. This composite material allows the microcapsules to provide ice friction enhancement while the polymer matrix protects them from degradation, simultaneously achieving both improved ice performance and wear resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The acrylonitrile butadiene copolymer provides localized protection around each thermally expandable microcapsule. The polymer coating creates a protective shell that shields the microcapsules from mechanical wear while allowing them to expand and function when exposed to ice conditions.
2Force
If thermally expandable microcapsules are used to enhance ice friction, then friction on ice is improved, but the microcapsules suffer from poor wear resistance
Solution Approach 1:
The acrylonitrile butadiene copolymer forms a flexible protective shell around the thermally expandable microcapsules. This thin film structure provides mechanical protection against wear and degradation while maintaining the microcapsules' ability to expand and generate friction-enhancing effects on ice surfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The combination of thermally expandable microcapsules within an acrylonitrile butadiene copolymer matrix creates a composite structure where the polymer phase protects the microcapsule phase from mechanical damage, enabling the microcapsules to maintain their friction-enhancing properties over extended service life.
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 superior performance on ice and wear resistance by efficiently absorbing water and distributing stress, leading to improved frictional force and reduced wear, respectively.
Implementation Method 1
the thermally expandable microcapsules are connected in a linear, band-like, or tuft-like manner
Implementation Method 2
an acrylonitrile butadiene copolymer and/or a crosslinked body thereof covering the one or more thermally expandable microcapsules
Data Source
AI summary
A rubber composition for a tire according to an embodiment of the present technology includes: 100 parts by mass of a diene rubber and from 1 to 30 parts by mass of a thermally expandable microcapsule composite body, and the thermally expandable microcapsule composite body contains one or more thermally expandable microcapsules and an acrylonitrile butadiene copolymer and/or a crosslinked body thereof covering the one or more thermally expandable microcapsules.