Polyphenylene Ether Resin Plasticizer for Tire Tread Rubber
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Solution Overview
Problem
Tire tread compositions face challenges in balancing high resistance to wear, good grip on both dry and wet roads, and ease of manufacturing, with existing rubber compositions often compromising between these requirements.
Innovation Solution
A rubber composition based on a majority vinylaromatic diene elastomer, a reinforcing filler, and a polyphenylene ether resin with a specific molecular mass range and glass transition temperature, optimized to enhance the glass transition of the mixture and reduce the quantity of conventional thermoplastic resin, thereby improving manufacturing ease and performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional thermoplastic resins are used as plasticizing agents, then the ease of manufacturing is improved, but the raw stickiness increases and manufacturing processability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by selecting a polyphenylene ether resin with a specific glass transition temperature range (0-130°C) and specific molecular mass range (800-1500 g/mol). This precise parameter selection modifies the resin's properties to reduce raw stickiness while maintaining ease of manufacturing, directly resolving the contradiction between manufacturability and harmful stickiness effects.
2Ease of manufacture
If the quantity of thermoplastic resin is increased to improve ease of manufacturing, then the manufacturing processability is improved, but the grip performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves this contradiction by changing the parameters of the thermoplastic resin, specifically selecting polyphenylene ether resin with glass transition temperature between 0-130°C and molecular mass between 800-1500 g/mol. This parameter optimization allows achieving good processability while maintaining grip performance, as the resin provides adequate plasticization without excessive stickiness that would harm tire-road grip.
3Temperature
If polyphenylene ether resin with specific molecular mass and glass transition temperature is used, then the glass transition of the mixture is improved, but the quantity of resin required changes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by optimizing the molecular mass (800-1500 g/mol) and glass transition temperature (0-130°C) of the polyphenylene ether resin. This optimization achieves the desired glass transition improvement in the mixture while minimizing the resin quantity required, as the specific parameters enhance the resin's effectiveness per unit mass.
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 improved dynamic properties and reduced raw stickiness, facilitating the production of tires with enhanced wear resistance and grip, while maintaining ease of manufacturing.
Implementation Method 1
a particular selection among the resins comprising known polyphenylene ether units makes it possible to further shift the glass transition of the mixture
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a rubber composition based on at least one majority vinyl aromatic diene elastomer material, a reinforcing filler, a cross-linking system, a polyphenylene ether resin having a number average molecular weight (Mn) within a range from 800 to 1500 g/mol and having a general formula (I) in which the R groups represent independently of each other a hydrogen atom or an alkyl radical, and n is between 6 and 12. The invention also relates to semi-finished tyre products and tyres comprising said composition.