Tire Polymer Composition for Ice Grip and Rubber Strength
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vulcanized rubber for winter tires and all-season tires faces a trade-off between high strength and good grip performance on ice, with hydrogenated conjugated diene-based polymers offering insufficient grip compared to non-hydrogenated counterparts, and experiencing reduced grip performance over time due to degradation.
Innovation Solution
A polymer composition combining a conjugated diene-based polymer with a specific filler having a Mohs hardness of 5 or more, where the polymer's composition ratio of structural units is optimized to enhance strength and grip performance, including hydrogenation and terminal modification to improve filler interaction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a polymer with low glass transition temperature is used to achieve good grip performance on ice, then grip performance on ice is improved, but strength of the vulcanized rubber is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the conjugated diene-based polymer by controlling the molar ratios of specific structural units (formulas 1-4) to achieve an optimal balance between low glass transition temperature for ice grip and adequate strength. The composition ratio expression (i) defines specific ranges that resolve the contradiction between these two properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite vulcanized rubber material combining conjugated diene-based polymer with specific fillers (silica, carbon black) and modifiers to achieve both low glass transition temperature for ice grip performance and high strength, resolving the contradiction through material composition optimization.
2Strength
If a hydrogenated conjugated diene-based polymer is used to achieve high strength and wear resistance, then strength is improved, but grip performance on ice becomes insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the hydrogenation degree and compositional parameters of the conjugated diene-based polymer by controlling the molar ratios of structural units and adjusting the composition ratio expression (i) to achieve both high strength from hydrogenation and adequate grip performance on ice, resolving the contradiction between these properties.
3Ease of operation
If vulcanized rubber is used with low glass transition temperature for ice grip, then grip performance on ice is improved, but degradation of properties over time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the compositional parameters of the conjugated diene-based polymer within the ranges defined by expression (i) to achieve a stable molecular structure that maintains both low glass transition temperature for ice grip and resistance to property degradation over time, resolving the contradiction between these properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses specific fillers and modifiers that provide short-term performance enhancement while maintaining long-term stability, optimizing the balance between initial ice grip performance and durability over time through selective additive composition.
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 solution produces vulcanized rubber with high strength and excellent grip performance on ice, while suppressing property degradation over time, suitable for winter and all-season tires.
Implementation Method 1
a filler having a Mohs hardness of or more (B)
Implementation Method 2
it has been proposed to obtain a vulcanized rubber having high strength and low wear by using a hydrogenated conjugated diene-based polymer in which a part of the unsaturated bonds of the conjugated diene-based polymer are hydrogenated
Data Source
AI summary
A polymer composition includes a conjugated diene-based polymer (A) and a filler having a Mohs hardness of 5 or more (B), where the conjugated diene-based polymer (A) contains a polymer (A1) satisfying expression (i) when a composition ratio (molar ratio) of a structural unit represented by formula (1), a structural unit represented by formula (2), a structural unit represented by formula (3) and a structural unit represented by formula (4) in the polymer is p, q, r and s, respectively.0.75≤(p+(0.5×r))/(p+q+(0.5×r)+s)≤0.95 Expression (i)