Silica Aggregate Structure for Tire Rubber Wet Grip and Hardness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tire rubber compositions face a challenge in balancing wet grip performance and hardness, as improving one often compromises the other, making it difficult to achieve both simultaneously.
Innovation Solution
A rubber composition containing diene rubber and silica, where the mass fractal dimension of silica aggregates is optimized by using nitrogen-containing alkoxysilanes and alkylalkoxysilanes, resulting in a Dm/Rg ratio of 0.20 nm−1 or more, which enhances both wet grip performance and hardness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If silica is blended to improve wet grip performance, then wet grip performance is improved, but rubber hardness is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the structural parameters of silica aggregates by controlling the Dm/Rg ratio (mass fractal dimension to inertia radius ratio) to be 0.20 nm⁻¹ or more. This parameter change optimizes the silica aggregate structure to simultaneously improve wet grip performance and maintain rubber hardness, resolving the traditional trade-off between these properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite silica aggregates with specific structural characteristics (Dm/Rg ≥ 0.20 nm⁻¹) in combination with diene rubber to create a composite material system that achieves both improved wet grip performance and maintained hardness, leveraging the synergistic effects of the optimized silica structure.
2Strength
If rubber hardness is increased, then rubber hardness is improved, but wet grip performance is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes to the silica aggregate structure (specifically the Dm/Rg ratio) to decouple the traditional inverse relationship between hardness and wet grip performance. By optimizing this structural parameter, the patent enables simultaneous improvement of both properties.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional silica is used, then manufacturing is simple, but conflicting performance regarding wet grip and hardness cannot be improved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a specific structural parameter (Dm/Rg ratio ≥ 0.20 nm⁻¹) for silica aggregates that can be controlled during manufacturing. This parameter change enables the production of silica with optimized performance characteristics while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through controlled aggregate formation processes.
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 optimized rubber composition effectively improves the balance between wet grip performance and hardness, achieving enhanced dispersibility and reinforcing effects of silica, thus improving both tire traction on wet surfaces and overall rubber hardness.
Implementation Method 1
the mass fractal dimension Dm being obtained by irradiating the vulcanized rubber with X-rays to perform an ultra-small angle X-ray scattering measurement
Implementation Method 2
the inertia radius Rg being obtained by irradiating a vulcanized rubber obtained by vulcanizing the rubber composition with X-rays to perform a small-angle X-ray scattering measurement
Data Source
AI summary
A rubber composition according to an embodiment contains a diene rubber and silica. A value Dm/Rg obtained by dividing a mass fractal dimension Dm of a silica aggregate by an inertia radius Rg of the silica aggregate is 0.20 nm−1 or more, the inertia radius Rg being obtained by irradiating a vulcanized rubber obtained by vulcanizing the rubber composition with X-rays to perform a small-angle X-ray scattering measurement, and the mass fractal dimension Dm being obtained by irradiating the vulcanized rubber with X-rays to perform an ultra-small angle X-ray scattering measurement.