Textile Tire Reinforcement Bath for Formaldehyde-Free Adhesion

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for producing vehicle tires face challenges in achieving sufficient adhesion between reinforcements and rubber mixtures, particularly under mechanical and dynamic stress, while also needing to avoid harmful substances like resorcinol and formaldehyde.

Innovation Solution

A method involving a bath composition of polycarboxylic acid, epoxy compound, polyisocyanate, and VP latex, which allows for dipping non-preactivated textile reinforcements, enabling chemical reactions for improved adhesion without using free resorcinol, formaldehyde, or resorcinol precondensates, and subsequent hot stretching for reinforcement layer formation in vehicle tires.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If RFL dips (resorcinol-formaldehyde latex) are used to activate reinforcing elements, then adhesion between reinforcing elements and rubber compound is improved, but harmful substances are introduced that are damaging to environment and health

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveadhesionVSAvoidharmful substances
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts and removes the harmful substances (resorcinol and formaldehyde) from the activation bath while retaining the essential adhesion-promoting components (epoxy compound and polyisocyanate). This is achieved by formulating a bath that contains only the necessary active ingredients without the toxic resorcinol-formaldehyde latex, thereby eliminating harmful effects while preserving the beneficial adhesion property.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the chemical composition parameters of the activation bath by replacing resorcinol-formaldehyde latex with an alternative system based on epoxy compounds and polyisocyanates. This parameter change maintains the adhesion-promoting functionality while eliminating the harmful substances, effectively resolving the contradiction between reliability and harmful factors.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If two different dips are used in succession to activate reinforcing elements, then sufficient adhesion is achieved, but process complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveadhesionVSAvoidprocess complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention merges the functions of two separate activation dips into a single integrated bath. By combining the adhesion-promoting components (epoxy compound and polyisocyanate) into one formulation, the process is simplified from a two-step procedure to a single-step procedure, reducing device complexity while maintaining sufficient adhesion reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The single activation bath is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: it provides adhesion promotion, activates the reinforcing elements, and eliminates the need for separate treatment steps. This multi-functional approach reduces process complexity while achieving the same adhesion results that previously required two separate dips.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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

This method simplifies the tire production process, ensures effective adhesion, and eliminates the use of harmful substances, maintaining comparable durability to traditional methods while being environmentally and health-friendly.

Implementation Method 1

The aforementioned components, in combination, enable a multitude of chemical reactions that effectively activate the adhesion of the reinforcing materials immersed in them

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectChemical reactions: Chemical Bonding

Implementation Method 2

Subsequent hot drawing of the immersed reinforcement carriers from step c) at a temperature in the range of 100 °C to 260 °C

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHot drawing: Heating

Implementation Method 3

Vulcanization of the vehicle tire blank

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectVulcanization: Chemical Bonding

Data Source

PatentEP3655243B1Method for producing a vehicle tire, vehicle tire produced according to the method, and use of treated reinforcing supports
Publication Date: 2023.11.01 CONTINENTAL REIFEN DEUTSCHLAND GMBH

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for producing a vehicle tire, having the following steps: a) providing textile reinforcing supports; b) providing a bath which is free of resorcin and formaldehyde by means of at least the following steps: b1) adding at least one carboxylic acid to water; b2) adding at least one base; b3) adding at least one epoxy compound; b4) adding at least one polyisocyanate compound; b5) adding at least one VP latex; and b6) mixing the substances from b1) to b5); c) dipping the reinforcing supports from step a) into the bath from step b); d) subsequently hot-stretching the dipped reinforcing supports from step c); and e) further processing the reinforcing supports from step d) in order to form a reinforcing support layer in a vehicle tire blank. The invention further relates to a vehicle tire which is produced using the method according to the invention and to the use of reinforcing supports treated in such a manner in technical rubber articles.