Styrene-Butadiene Rubber Blend Optimizes Tire Rolling Resistance

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing rubber mixtures for pneumatic tires, hoses, and belts face challenges in balancing rolling resistance, dry braking, and abrasion performance, with improvements in one area often leading to impairments in others.

Innovation Solution

A rubber mixture composed of a high-molecular-weight styrene-butadiene rubber blend and a low-molecular-weight butadiene rubber, combined with silica, which optimizes rolling resistance and abrasion performance without compromising dry braking performance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If silica is used to replace carbon black filler, then wet grip and dry braking performance are improved, but rolling resistance and abrasion performance deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewet grip and dry braking performanceVSAvoidrolling resistance

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the molecular weight parameters of the rubber components by using a specific blend of high-molecular-weight styrene-butadiene rubber (100,000-5,000,000 g/mol) and low-molecular-weight butadiene rubber (500-9,000 g/mol). This parameter change optimizes the balance between wet grip, dry braking, and rolling resistance by controlling the viscoelastic properties of the rubber compound.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a composite rubber mixture combining styrene-butadiene rubber and butadiene rubber with silica filler. This composite material leverages the complementary properties of each component: the high-molecular-weight SBS provides structural integrity and abrasion resistance, while the low-molecular-weight butadiene rubber enhances flexibility and wet grip, achieving a balance that resolves the traditional trade-offs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Reliability

If silica is used to replace carbon black filler, then wet grip and dry braking performance are improved, but abrasion performance deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewet grip and dry braking performanceVSAvoidabrasion performance

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a composite rubber mixture combining styrene-butadiene rubber and butadiene rubber with silica filler. This composite material leverages the complementary properties of each component: the high-molecular-weight SBS provides structural integrity and abrasion resistance, while the low-molecular-weight butadiene rubber enhances flexibility and wet grip, achieving a balance that resolves the traditional trade-offs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies different molecular weight rubber components to different functional requirements within the same tire compound. The high-molecular-weight SBS targets abrasion resistance and structural stability, while the low-molecular-weight butadiene rubber targets wet grip and flexibility, creating local quality differentiation within the composite material to satisfy multiple contradictory requirements simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS9080042B2Rubber blend with improved rolling resistance behavior

Publication Date: 2015.07.14 CONTINENTAL REIFEN DEUTSCHLAND GMBH

AI summary

A rubber blend, particularly for pneumatic vehicle tires, harnesses, straps and hoses. The rubber blend includes at least one rubber blend A of a solid styrene-butadiene rubber with an average molecular weight Mn of 100,000 to 5,000,000 g/mol and a liquid butadiene rubber with an average molecular weight Mn of 500 to 9000 g/mol, wherein the styrene-butadiene rubber is solution-polymerized or emulsion-polymerized, as well as 30 to 300 phr of at least one silicic acid and further blend components.