Studless Winter Tire Rubber Composition Using Microfibrillated Cellulose
Solution Overview
Problem
Studless winter tires face challenges in achieving both excellent performance on snow and ice and sufficient abrasion resistance, as previous attempts to improve snow and ice performance often compromise abrasion resistance or vice versa.
Innovation Solution
A rubber composition for studless winter tires comprising a rubber component with a combined amount of natural rubber and polybutadiene rubber, chemically modified microfibrillated cellulose with an average fiber diameter of 0.1 µm or less, carbon black, and silica, which forms nano-scale water channels to enhance grip and abrasion resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the amount of polybutadiene rubber is increased to improve performance on snow and ice, then grip performance on snow and ice is improved, but abrasion resistance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite rubber composition containing natural rubber (30-70 parts), polybutadiene rubber (20-50 parts), and polyisoprene rubber (10-30 parts) in specific proportions. This multi-component composite achieves both excellent low-temperature flexibility for snow/ice grip and sufficient mechanical strength for abrasion resistance, resolving the contradiction between grip performance and durability
2Reliability
If glass fibers are incorporated as scratching material to improve performance on snow and ice, then grip performance on snow and ice is improved, but abrasion resistance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces durable but harmful glass fibers with short cellulose fibers (average length 0.5-2.0 mm) that provide sufficient scratching function for ice grip but are soft enough not to severely compromise abrasion resistance. The cellulose fibers serve their purpose as scratching elements without the severe durability penalty of glass fibers
3Reliability
If bionanofibers are incorporated to improve performance on snow and ice, then grip performance on snow and ice is improved, but abrasion resistance remains insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the fiber dimensions to specific ranges: cellulose fiber average length of 0.5-2.0 mm and average diameter of 5-20 μm. These parameter optimizations ensure the fibers are fine enough to improve snow/ice grip through scratching action while maintaining sufficient structural integrity to preserve abrasion resistance
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are a rubber composition for studless winter tires that can improve not only performance on snow and ice but also abrasion resistance, thereby simultaneously achieving excellent performance on snow and ice and excellent abrasion resistance, and a studless winter tire formed from the rubber composition. The rubber composition for studless winter tires contains: a rubber component; a chemically modified microfibrillated cellulose; carbon black; and silica, the chemically modified microfibrillated cellulose having an average fiber diameter of 0.1 µm or less, the rubber component having a combined amount of natural rubber and polybutadiene rubber of 30-100% by mass based on 100% by mass of the rubber component, the rubber composition containing, per 100 parts by mass of the rubber component, 1-10 parts by mass of the chemically modified microfibrillated cellulose, 10-80 parts by mass of the carbon black, and 10-80 parts by mass of the silica.