Sulfur-Curable Rubber Mixture for Low Rolling Resistance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Vehicle tires face challenges in reducing rolling resistance while maintaining electrical conductivity, as existing rubber mixtures compromise on either property when attempting to minimize soot content for legal and ecological requirements.

Innovation Solution

A sulfur-crosslinkable rubber mixture composed of 84-88% ethylene oxide, 2-4% propylene oxide, and 10-12% allyl glycidyl ether, combined with diene rubber and carbon black or silica fillers, is used in the tire's tread and sidewall to enhance rolling resistance and maintain or improve electrical conductivity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If soot content is reduced to lower rolling resistance, then rolling resistance is improved, but electrical conductivity deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverolling resistanceVSAvoidelectrical conductivity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the rubber mixture by incorporating a specific polymer (84-88% ethylene oxide, 2-4% propylene oxide, 10-12% allyl glycidyl ether) that enables the system to achieve both low rolling resistance and adequate electrical conductivity simultaneously, resolving the trade-off through compositional optimization

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a composite rubber mixture combining multiple components including diene rubber, the specific polymer composition, and carbon black filler (0.1-100 phr), where the synergistic interaction between components achieves both low rolling resistance and maintained electrical conductivity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Object-affected harmful factors

If soot content is reduced to meet legal and ecological requirements, then environmental compliance is improved, but electrical conductivity deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveenvironmental complianceVSAvoidelectrical conductivity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent optimizes the polymer composition parameters (ethylene oxide 84-88%, propylene oxide 2-4%, allyl glycidyl ether 10-12%) to enable the rubber mixture to function effectively with reduced carbon black content, thereby meeting environmental requirements while maintaining electrical conductivity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The specific polymer composition acts as an intermediary that compensates for the reduced carbon black content, maintaining the electrical conductivity function even when soot content is lowered for environmental compliance

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If polymer composition is optimized for electrical conductivity, then electrical conductivity is improved, but rolling resistance may worsen

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelectrical conductivityVSAvoidrolling resistance
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent carefully balances the polymer composition parameters (ethylene oxide 84-88%, propylene oxide 2-4%, allyl glycidyl ether 10-12%) to achieve a optimal state where electrical conductivity is improved while rolling resistance is simultaneously reduced, rather than improving one at the expense of the other

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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 rubber mixture achieves reduced rolling resistance with either maintained or improved electrical conductivity, along with preserved or enhanced tensile strength and rigidity, making it suitable for various vehicle tire applications.

Implementation Method 1

a sulfur-crosslinkable rubber mixture containing at least the following components: at least one polymer composed of 84 to 88% by weight of ethylene oxide and 2 to 4% by weight of propylene oxide and 10 to 12% by weight of allyl glycidyl ether

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSulfur crosslinking: Chemical Bonding

Implementation Method 2

at least one filler, containing at least 0.1 to 100 phr of at least one carbon black as at least one filler

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectrical conduction: Conduction (electrical)

Data Source

PatentEP2977227B1Sulphur linkable natural rubber mixture and vehicle tyre
Publication Date: 2022.08.03 CONTINENTAL REIFEN DEUTSCHLAND GMBH

AI summary

The invention relates to a sulfur-curable rubber compound and a vehicle tire incorporating the sulfur-curable rubber compound in at least one component. The sulfur-curable rubber compound exhibits optimized rolling resistance indicators with the same or improved electrical conductivity. For this purpose, the rubber compound comprises at least the following components: - at least one polymer composed of ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide and/or allyl glycidyl ether, and - at least one diene rubber selected from the group consisting of natural polyisoprene, synthetic polyisoprene, butadiene rubber, and styrene-butadiene rubber, and - at least one filler.