Silane Coupling Agent and DCPD Resin for Tire Rubber
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current rubber compositions for tires face a trade-off between reducing rolling resistance and maintaining wet grip performance, with existing solutions like blocked mercaptosilane coupling agents improving rolling resistance but deteriorating wet grip.
Innovation Solution
A specific combination of a coupling agent with both blocked mercaptosilane and mercaptosilane units, and a hydrocarbon-based resin predominantly composed of cyclopentadiene, dicyclopentadiene, or methylcyclopentadiene monomers, is used in rubber compositions to enhance rolling resistance without compromising wet grip.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If blocked mercaptosilane coupling agents are used to improve rolling resistance, then rolling resistance is reduced, but wet grip performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines blocked mercaptosilane units with free mercaptosilane units in a single coupling agent molecule (formula I). This merging allows the agent to provide both the rolling resistance reduction benefits of blocked mercaptosilanes and the wet grip enhancement of free mercaptosilanes, resolving the technical contradiction between these two performance parameters.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a composite coupling agent structure that integrates two different functional units (blocked and free mercaptosilane) into one molecule. This composite approach enables the material to exhibit dual functionality, simultaneously improving rolling resistance while maintaining wet grip performance, which neither component could achieve alone.
2Use of energy by moving object
If rubber compositions are optimized for low rolling resistance, then energy efficiency improves, but wet grip and snow grip performance are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling agent merges blocked mercaptosilane and free mercaptosilane units in a single molecular structure. This combination enables the rubber composition to achieve low rolling resistance (improving energy efficiency) while simultaneously maintaining high wet grip and snow grip performance (preserving reliability), thus resolving the contradiction between energy efficiency and grip performance.
3Ease of operation
If conventional coupling agents are used to enhance filler dispersion, then processing ease improves, but the trade-off between rolling resistance and wet grip remains unresolved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges blocked and free mercaptosilane units into a single coupling agent that provides comprehensive performance optimization. This unified agent not only facilitates filler dispersion (improving ease of operation) but also simultaneously resolves the performance balance between rolling resistance and wet grip, eliminating the need to choose between conflicting performance parameters.
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 described rubber compositions achieve improved rolling resistance and enhanced grip on snow-covered surfaces without penalizing wet grip performance, demonstrating a synergistic effect when combined with a mercapto/blocked mercapto organofunctional silane coupling agent and a DCPD resin.
Implementation Method 1
an agent for coupling the reinforcing inorganic filler with the diene elastomer, said coupling agent being an organofunctional silane comprising at least one oligomer bearing at least one blocked mercaptosilane unit and at least one mercaptosilane unit
Implementation Method 2
Y represents a functional group ('Y' function) that is capable of bonding physically and/or chemically to the inorganic filler, such a bond being able to be established, for example, between a silicon atom of the coupling agent and the surface hydroxyl (OH) groups of the inorganic filler
Implementation Method 3
these compositions a lower hysteresis, which is synonymous with a lower rolling resistance
Implementation Method 4
which are capable of rivalling, from the reinforcing perspective, a conventional tyre-grade carbon black, while offering these compositions a lower hysteresis
Data Source
AI summary
A rubber composition is based on at least: a diene elastomer; a reinforcing inorganic filler; an agent for coupling the reinforcing inorganic filler with the diene elastomer, said coupling agent being an organofunctional silane comprising at least one oligomer of general formula (I), as described in the claims, bearing at least one blocked mercaptosilane unit and at least one mercaptosilane unit, a hydrocarbon-based resin predominantly composed of monomers chosen from the group consisting of cyclopentadiene, dicyclopentadiene, methylcyclopentadiene and mixtures thereof, and a crosslinking system. A semi-finished article and a tire may comprise at least one such rubber composition.