Thermoplastic Elastomer Tire Molecular Architecture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Tires produced using thermoplastic polymer materials face challenges in achieving a balance between desirable elastic modulus and low rolling resistance, similar to conventional rubber tires, while also requiring increased production efficiency and reduced costs.
Innovation Solution
A tire formed using a thermoplastic elastomer with a triblock structure of HS-SS-HS, where both terminals of the molecular chain are hard segments and only one unit of soft segment is present, with a number average molecular weight ranging from 12,000 to 24,000, to enhance elastic modulus and reduce loss properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a thermoplastic polymer material is used to produce a tire, then production efficiency is improved and cost is reduced, but rolling resistance performance deteriorates compared to conventional rubber tires
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the molecular parameters of the thermoplastic elastomer, specifically controlling the number average molecular weight to be 10,000-50,000 and the soft segment content to be 20-80% by mass. These parameter adjustments optimize the balance between processing properties (for production efficiency) and rolling resistance performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite material approach by creating a thermoplastic elastomer composed of hard segments and soft segments with specific molecular architecture. The combination of crystalline hard segments (for strength and low rolling resistance) and amorphous soft segments (for elasticity and processability) creates a composite material that simultaneously achieves good rolling resistance and production efficiency.
2Productivity
If a thermoplastic elastomer is used to produce a tire, then production efficiency is improved and cost is reduced, but elastic modulus performance deteriorates compared to conventional rubber tires
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adjusts the molecular weight parameter (10,000-50,000) and soft segment content (20-80% by mass) to optimize the elastic modulus. The controlled molecular weight ensures sufficient chain entanglement for strength, while the soft segment content provides elasticity, achieving both high elastic modulus and production efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by creating distinct hard and soft segment regions within the polymer chain. The hard segments provide localized strength and crystallinity for high elastic modulus, while the soft segments provide localized flexibility for easy processing, allowing the material to exhibit both high strength and good processability.
3Loss of energy
If the soft segment content in thermoplastic elastomer is increased to improve elasticity, then low loss property deteriorates, but if soft segment content is decreased to improve low loss property, then elasticity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the soft segment content parameter to be within 20-80% by mass, finding the optimal balance point where sufficient elasticity is maintained while minimizing energy loss. This parameter range ensures that there are enough soft segments for elasticity but not so many that they create excessive hysteresis and heat buildup.
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a tire including a tire frame that is formed of a resin material and has a circular form, wherein the resin material includes a thermoplastic elastomer having a hard segment (HS) and a soft segment (SS), in which only one unit of the soft segment (SS) is included in a single molecular chain, and both terminals of the single molecular chain are formed by the hard segment (HS), the thermoplastic elastomer having a number average molecular weight of from 12,000 to 24,000.