Natural Rubber-Silica Composite for Low-Rolling Resistance Treads

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Solution Overview

Problem

The tire industry faces challenges in creating low-rolling resistance tires that are both sustainable and cost-effective, as current compositions using silica and silane result in environmental emissions and require expensive materials, while natural rubber-silica systems suffer from poor dispersion and high energy losses due to weak interactions between non-polar rubber and polar silica.

Innovation Solution

A composition is developed by blending water-soluble silsesquioxane oligomers into natural rubber latex to form a continuous molecular silica network, enabling efficient dispersion and bonding of silica within the rubber matrix, using aminoalkylsilsesquioxane polymers with specific molecular weights and functional groups to create a low-rolling resistance tire tread.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If silica and traditional silane are used in tire compounds, then rolling resistance is reduced, but environmental emissions increase and material cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverolling resistanceVSAvoidenvironmental emissions

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chemical parameters of the silane coupling agent from traditional tetraalkoxysilane to aminoalkylsilsesquioxane, which has different molecular structure and reactivity. This parameter change allows the system to achieve the same silica-rubber bonding function while eliminating ethanol emissions and reducing material cost

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces expensive traditional silane coupling agents with a more cost-effective aminoalkylsilsesquoxane compound. The new coupling agent achieves the required functionality at lower material cost, directly addressing the economic constraint while maintaining performance

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

2Quantity of substance

If natural rubber and silica are combined, then renewable resource usage increases, but dispersion quality deteriorates and energy loss increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverenewable resource contentVSAvoidsilica dispersion quality

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces aminoalkylsilsesquoxane as an intermediary coupling agent between natural rubber and silica. This intermediary contains both organic amino groups that interact with rubber and inorganic silane groups that bond with silica, effectively mediating the interface between the two immiscible phases to achieve uniform dispersion

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a composite coupling agent system that combines organic (aminoalkyl) and inorganic (silsesquoxane) components into a single molecular structure. This composite material simultaneously provides compatibility with both natural rubber and silica, enabling effective interfacial bonding and uniform dispersion

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

3Ease of manufacture

If natural rubber and carbon black are used, then material cost is reduced, but rolling resistance increases due to weak interactions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvematerial costVSAvoidhysteretic energy loss

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces carbon black with silica as the reinforcing filler, creating a natural rubber-silica composite system. This substitution changes the filler type from carbon-based to oxide-based, enabling lower rolling resistance while maintaining reinforcement effectiveness through the silane coupling agent

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

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 reduces fuel consumption and carbon emissions, increases driving range, and improves the energy efficiency of tires by enhancing the interaction between natural rubber and silica, leading to improved rolling resistance and durability without the environmental drawbacks of traditional methods.

Implementation Method 1

blending water-soluble silsesquioxane oligomers into natural rubber latex to form a continuous molecular silica network

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPolymerization: Photopolymerisation

Implementation Method 2

enabling efficient dispersion and bonding of silica within the rubber matrix

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDispersion: Dispersion (of waves)

Data Source

PatentUS11773240B2Molecular composites of functional silica and natural rubber

Publication Date: 2023.10.03 SILPARA TECHNOLOGIES LLC

AI summary

Briefly described, and according to one embodiment, aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to natural rubber and functional silica compositions for tire manufacturing and methods for forming the same. In at least one embodiment, the disclosed composition is a renewable elastomeric polymeric composition for rubber compounding applications, such as low rolling resistance tire tread and winter tire tread applications. The disclosed composition may also reduce fuel consumption and, thus, carbon dioxide emissions in gas-powered vehicles, and increase driving range in electric vehicles, because the disclosed composition is more energy efficient than current tire material compositions. In various embodiments, the disclosed composition may be formed by blending water-soluble silsesquioxane oligomers into a natural rubber latex system, followed by in-situ formation of a continuous, molecular silica network within the resulting polymer.