Polymer Blend for Winter Tire Grip and Processability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current polymer blends for tire production, particularly for winter tires, face challenges with high molecular weight aromatic vinyl-conjugated diene copolymers that result in increased volatile organic compounds (VOCs), fixed glass temperature, compatibility issues, and intense coloration of extender oils, leading to reduced processability and performance balance between wet and ice grip.
Innovation Solution
A polymer blend comprising a high molecular weight elastomeric polymer and a low molecular weight, branched elastomeric polymer, both obtained through anionic polymerization and coupling, with optional modification, to enhance processability and grip performance, while minimizing VOC emissions and color intensity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a high molecular weight aromatic vinyl-conjugated diene copolymer is used to reduce rolling resistance, then rolling resistance is improved, but processability deteriorates due to high viscosity
Solution Approach 1:
The copolymer is segmented into blocks of different molecular weights (first block: high molecular weight for low rolling resistance; second block: low molecular weight for good processability). This segmentation allows each block to fulfill its specific function independently, resolving the contradiction between rolling resistance and processability.
Solution Approach 2:
Different blocks of the copolymer are assigned different local qualities: the first block has high molecular weight optimized for rolling resistance, while the second block has low molecular weight optimized for processability. This local differentiation enables the material to exhibit both low rolling resistance and good processability simultaneously.
2Ease of manufacture
If a low molecular weight extender oil is used to improve processability, then processability is improved, but VOC emissions increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the molecular weight parameter of the extender polymer from low (conventional oils) to relatively high (10,000-1,000,000 g/mol). This parameter change reduces VOC emissions while maintaining processability benefits, as the higher molecular weight polymer has lower volatility.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces conventional short-chain extender oils with a longer-chain polymer that acts as both extender and structural component. This substitution eliminates the need for separate short-lived volatile components while maintaining the extender function.
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 proposed polymer blend improves processability and balances wet and ice grip performance, reducing VOC emissions and eliminating the need for intense cleaning procedures, thereby enhancing the overall performance and production efficiency of winter tires.
Implementation Method 1
both obtained through anionic polymerization and coupling
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to polymer blend that includes (a) 50 to 90 percent by weight of a first elastomeric polymer having a high molecular weight, (b) 5 to 50 percent by weight, preferably 5 to 40 percent by weight, more preferably 10 to 35 percent by weight, of a second elastomeric polymer having a low molecular weight and being coupled, wherein the amounts of the components (a) and (b) are based on the total weight of the polymer blend.