Self-Sealing Tire Partially Crosslinked Elastomer High Temperature Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Self-sealing tires face challenges in maintaining performance and reliability due to issues with dimensional stability, stickiness, and cohesion of the sealing layer, especially at high temperatures, which can lead to structural weakening and reduced sealing capability.
Innovation Solution
A self-sealing tire with a partially chemically crosslinked composition of unsaturated styrene thermoplastic elastomer and a predefined amount of crosslinking agent, ensuring high stickiness, low modulus, and dimensional stability, which is applied during the tire production process to enhance sealing performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a styrene thermoplastic elastomer is used for the self-sealing layer to achieve high stickiness and low modulus, then the sealing capability is improved, but the dimensional stability deteriorates especially at high temperatures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial chemical crosslinking to the styrene thermoplastic elastomer, transforming it from a purely thermoplastic material to a partially crosslinked network structure. This parameter change in the material's chemical structure allows the sealing layer to maintain both the stickiness and low modulus needed for sealing while gaining dimensional stability at high temperatures through the crosslinked network
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a composite material system by combining styrene thermoplastic elastomer with a crosslinking agent. The resulting partially crosslinked composition integrates the adhesive properties of the thermoplastic elastomer with the thermal stability of the crosslinked structure, resolving the contradiction between sealing capability and dimensional stability
2Reliability
If the sealing layer is made highly sticky to improve sealing performance, then the adhesion to sharp elements is improved, but the structural strength and cohesion deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent controls the degree of crosslinking to achieve an optimal balance. By using partial rather than full crosslinking, the material retains sufficient chain mobility for stickiness and adhesion while developing enough crosslinked network structure to provide structural strength and cohesion. The crosslinking density is carefully regulated to resolve this contradiction
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 solution provides a self-sealing tire with improved adhesion, deformation, and dimensional stability, maintaining sealing effectiveness even at high temperatures, ensuring the tire's reliability and operational performance.
Implementation Method 1
a layer of sealing material which comprises a composition comprising at least an unsaturated styrene thermoplastic elastomer partially chemically crosslinked through the addition of a predefined amount of a crosslinking agent
Data Source
AI summary
A self-sealing tire for vehicle wheels includes: a carcass structure, a tread band applied in a radially external position to the carcass structure at least in a crown area of the tire, a liner applied in a radially inner position to the carcass structure, and a layer of sealing material applied in a radially inner position to the carcass structure and which extends axially at least in all the crown area of the tire in which the sealing material includes a partially chemically crosslinked composition including an unsaturated styrene thermoplastic elastomer.