Tall Oil Ester Rubber Composition for Cold-Grip Tread Rigidity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current rubber compositions for tire treads face a challenge in balancing glass transition temperature and rigidity, as reducing glass transition temperature to improve grip in cold weather leads to reduced rigidity and increased tread wear.
Innovation Solution
A rubber composition comprising a highly saturated diene elastomer, carbon black, and a tall oil ester plasticizer, which maintains high rigidity while lowering glass transition temperature, achieved by using a copolymer of ethylene and 1,3-diene with ethylene units representing at least 50 mol% and a specific crosslinking system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If an oil with a low glass transition temperature is added to reduce the glass transition of the mixture, then the grip in cold weather is improved, but the rigidity of the mixture is reduced and tread wear increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the chemical composition parameters of the elastomer matrix by using a highly saturated diene elastomer with specific saturation levels and ethylene content (at least 50 mol%), which fundamentally alters the relationship between glass transition temperature and rigidity. This parameter change allows the rubber composition to achieve low glass transition temperature for cold weather grip while maintaining high rigidity to prevent excessive tread wear, resolving the technical contradiction through material composition optimization rather than simple additive formulation.
2Reliability
If the glass transition temperature of the mixture is reduced to improve cold weather grip, then the tire's grip on the road is optimized, but the tread wear increases due to reduced rigidity
Solution Approach 1:
The invention employs a composite elastomer matrix system based on highly saturated diene elastomer combined with specific plasticizers and fillers. This composite material approach creates a synergistic effect where the highly saturated diene elastomer provides the base structure with appropriate glass transition characteristics, while the specific plasticizer selection and filler content (particularly carbon black at 20-60 phr) work together to maintain rigidity and wear resistance even at lower glass transition temperatures, thus improving grip without compromising tread durability.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a rubber composition based on at least one elastomer matrix mainly comprising a highly saturated diene elastomer, carbon black, and a tall oil ester plasticizer, wherein the highly saturated diene elastomer is a copolymer of ethylene and a 1,3-diene, in which the ethylene units represent at least 50 mol % of the monomer units of the copolymer.