Rubber Composition Using Mercaptosilane Silica for Faster Curing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Rubber compositions reinforced with silica and highly saturated diene elastomers face challenges in reducing in-press curing time while maintaining the desired compromise of properties between stiffness and hysteresis, which affects the productivity of tire manufacturing sites.
Innovation Solution
The use of a combination of hydrophilic silica and silica made hydrophobic by treatment with a mercaptosilane in rubber compositions containing highly saturated diene elastomers, which helps to reduce the curing time without compromising the mechanical properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If highly saturated diene elastomers with more than 50 mol % ethylene units are used in rubber compositions, then the compromise of properties between stiffness and hysteresis is improved, but the vulcanization kinetics become slower requiring longer in-press time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the silica filler by treating it with mercaptosilane, which modifies the surface chemistry and accelerates vulcanization kinetics. This allows the highly saturated diene elastomer composition to vulcanize faster without compromising the stiffness-hysteresis property balance that the elastomer provides
Solution Approach 2:
The mercaptosilane-treated silica acts as an intermediary that facilitates faster vulcanization. The mercaptosilane groups on the silica surface interact with the highly saturated diene elastomer, promoting crosslinking reactions and reducing in-press time while maintaining the desired mechanical properties
2Reliability
If longer residence times in curing presses are used to vulcanize highly saturated diene elastomers, then complete vulcanization is achieved, but the productivity of tire manufacturing sites is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
By modifying the silica surface with mercaptosilane, the patent changes the chemical environment to promote faster crosslinking. This enables complete vulcanization to be achieved in shorter time, directly improving manufacturing productivity without sacrificing vulcanization quality
Solution Approach 2:
The silica is pre-treated with mercaptosilane before being incorporated into the rubber composition. This preliminary modification of the filler creates a more reactive system from the outset, enabling faster vulcanization kinetics and higher productivity from the beginning of the curing process
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
This approach allows for a significant reduction in in-press curing time while maintaining the necessary balance of stiffness and hysteresis, thereby enhancing the productivity of tire manufacturing processes without sacrificing performance.
Implementation Method 1
a reinforcing filler which contains a silica made hydrophobic, before its use in the rubber composition, by treatment with a blocked or non-blocked mercaptosilane
Implementation Method 2
a silane coupling agent
Data Source
AI summary
A rubber composition that comprises a highly saturated diene elastomer which is a copolymer of ethylene and of a 1,3-diene containing ethylene units which represent more than 50 mol % of the monomer units of the copolymer, a vulcanization system, a silane coupling agent and a reinforcing filler that contains a silica made hydrophobic prior to its use in the rubber composition by treatment with a blocked or non-blocked mercaptosilane, and a hydrophilic silica, is provided. Such a composition has improved curing properties whilst maintaining the compromise of property between stiffness and hysteresis.